Open Wounds
by MMWillow13
Summary: A new case hits closer to home than anyone expected, opening old wounds and bringing Booth and Bones closer together.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: ** _Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2:** _I don't own Bones, but goddess if I did I'd lock Booth and Brennan in a room until they finally came to their senses and got together. I am not making any money on this story, just gaining some valuable writing experience. Puck, Marie and the few other characters are creations of our own although, like Brennan's books if you know me you may be able to tell who inspired them._

**A/N 3:**_Due to references of cutting, sex and other sensitive subject matter I'm rating this M, just to be safe. Also relax I do believe in happy endings._

**Description:** _A case hits too close to home and opens old wounds. Bringing Brennan and Booth closer.__  
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Brennan felt the vibration of her ringing phone, and dug into her pocket to retrieve the device. She fumbled with it as she shifted her body in the black swivel chair at her office desk. She pressed the call button, and held the phone to her ear.

"Brennan," she answered, the same way she always did.

"Hey Bones…" he answered.

Brennan smiled at the voice, and shifted to make herself more comfortable.

"We have a body!" she announced.

"What, no hello Booth… how are you?" he teased.

"We have far more significant things to attend to at this time, Booth," she lectured. "We can converse casually later."

"Hi Bones," he replied ignoring her advice.

"Hello Booth," she grinned to herself. "We have a body."

"Yeah, I got that memo… where?" he asked.

She gave him directions and they hung up, agreeing to meet as soon as possible.

Brennan was at the crime scene first, and went straight to the body, identifying the remains as she did, squatting on her knees to get a closer look. There was still a great deal of flesh on the body. The clothes appeared to have been roughly torn from the body. Animals had masticated on the flesh, exposing part of the rib cavity and left femur. A pair of heels was resting a few yards from the body. The bare feet of the victim were slashed with tiny cuts, some of the wounds were open at the time of death and other appeared to have been years old. There was something eerie about this case that Brennan couldn't quite place. She stood to come face to face with her FBI partner.

"Booth,"

He nodded. "Hey… what have we got?"

"Caucasian, female between the 15-17 years old, cause of death not immediately apparent. Death occurred between 10 to 14 days ago. All the animal activity appears to have been post mortem. Until I get her back to the lab and remove the excess flesh I can't determine whether there is a murder. However, judging from the condition of the body and clothing its probable," she explained. "Extensive striations and laceration to the soles of the feet, some of the wounds are fresh and others appear to be scarring or healing. Also there is something odd about the texture of the exposed bones."

Booth nodded as he listened, frowning at the appropriate places and nodding in others, as he listened to her explain the situation in her scientific babble. "Thanks, Bones," he said.

Brennan watched him intently for a few minutes. "You didn't understand any of what I told you, did you?" she pressed.

Booth considered lying, but decided against it. "Nope, Bones, not a word… but I figure that it will come to me in due course, but while I wait, why don't we grab a bite to eat at the diner or something."

"Booth, we have a case to sort," she frowned.

"Right now, I need food."

"I can't eat," she told him.

"That's okay," he shrugged. "You can keep me company."

She hesitated before following his lead.

Sometime later, they sat across from each other in the booth of the diner. Booth took a forkful of his pie, and savored the taste, pretending he was in love with it, before offering some to Brennan. She pulled a face before shaking her head.

"No, Booth. How many times must I stress the point that I don't eat my fruit cooked!" she snapped.

"How do you know unless you try it," he baited.

"I have tried it, Booth. And I have drawn the conclusion that it is distasteful."

"I like it."

"I don't!" she sipped her coffee.

"It might have changed since you last had some," he reasoned.

"Booth, stop trying to entice me to eat pie," she demanded. "Just because you like it, doesn't mean I have to!"

He shrugged casually, unaffected by her warning tone. "You know, if you tried some I might just stop asking you," he suggested.

She thought about it only for a moment. "NO!"

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_Reviews are greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

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"What have you managed to find some far?" Brennan asked Booth as he stood casually leaning against the frame of her office door.

"Marie Jackson had a friend name Puck, who-"

"Booth, can you not call the victim by her name please," she ordered.

"Why not?"

"Because it's too personal, I just… who's Puke?" she asked changing the subject.

"It's Puck," he smiled. "Like a hockey Puck!"

"That's an odd name for a child," she pondered.

Booth crossed the room as he smiled. "Yes, well, I think it was his nickname."

"Fine… who is he?"

"He's Mar- the victim's best friend, and there seemed to be some emotional connection between them, we're not sure yet how far it went, but there was a note addressed to him in her school backpack."

"What did it say?" she was deeply intrigued.

He didn't read the letter to Brennan, instead, he handed to her.

She frowned as she took the letter in her hands, and carefully unfolded it. It read;

_Dear Puck,_

_I never wrote a letter like this before. I don't really know what to say, except that I know it's easier to write it down on paper than to have to see the reaction on your face, especially if it's not a positive one, and you know me, I never was one to deal well in explaining my emotions._

_I always believed that bad things followed me wherever I went. I'm not a negative person and I try so hard to see the good in everything, but my trust levels are low… unless I'm with you. It scares me to know how much I trust you, Puck, how much I depend on you. _

_I wish I had the courage to express my emotions face-to-face, or the strength to follow through and wait for an answer, if I wasn't so afraid I would have tried to speak to you about this. I find myself tongue-tied when real emotions are involved, and when you ask a personal question, I find myself hiding away in the deep recesses of my mind. I have secrets, Puck. Secrets that are buried so deep that no one will ever find them. Not even me. _

_My emotions are high running when I think of you, my heart rate increases at the mere mention of your name, and when I'm with you… when you are close to me, I feel like I am complete. You finish the puzzle for me, Puck. I don't know how else to explain it, except that this is what others describe as love. If this is the case, I must love you, and I think I do. _

_I fear that I won't ever give you this letter, but I'll keep it buried somewhere in the bottom of my school bag in a lame hope that one thing leads to another and you'd find it of your own accord. Then I wouldn't have to watch the reaction, or fear that you would deny everything I feel as your own, and run away. I'd hope you'd ignore the letter if you carried nothing more than friendship for me, that way I would not have lost you completely, and I would be none the wiser. __But I fear too many things, in doing this face-to-face, rejection… awkwardness… your reaction… even sometimes I think I fear love itself. How can anyone love me, when my own family didn't?_

_I'm damaged goods and you're … this amazing, generous, kind person. I don't even deserve your friendship, but you stick with me. You smile and talk to me … you listen. I feel safe with you … that's such a foreign feeling, I don't understand it. The last time I can remember feeling anything close to that I was tiny, maybe three at the most. I just can't risk losing that … you're the only thing that keeps me going._

_I am NOT brave, nor am I strong, and I am aware that what we have is nothing but friendship. Though at times, I long to believe the things you say, mean more than they are. I wish I had the chance to say the things I want to say, without fear, and I wish you felt the way I did._

_Marie _

Brennan looked up from the letter, a single tear stained across her cheek. "Bring him in!" she ordered.

Booth tapped his nose. "On the ball, Bones, but don't you want to know more about Marie?"

She winced at the name. "Yes, of course. What information have you gathered?"

"That the victim attended a performing arts school in Florida. I spoke to her mother, and she describes her as quiet, studious, private, hard working... she was branded a good girl, but that was pretty much the opinion of her mother, so we can't go by that too much. You know how parents are," he said. "And the letter says that her family didn't love her, so… we'll have to have a chat with her later."

"Let's converse with Puck then…" she suggested.

"Let's do it." He agreed.

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_Reviews are always greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname **stevieLUVSAlex**, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! **stevieLUVSAlex **and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much **stevieLUVSAlex**, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

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Less than an hour later, Booth sat across the table in the interrogation room, on the opposite side of Puck. A boy, whose appearance spoke volumes, thought Booth had learned over time that looks were deceiving. The adolescent sat across from him dress in torn jeans, decorated with both safety pins and chains, his clothes were black and gothic like and obvious drawn-on tattoos, his hair was painted in tri-colors, obviously spray-dyed and his body language screamed rough and dangerous.

Booth was not swayed by him.

"What's with the image Puck, what are you, some kind of Emo?" he asked.

"Nuh, I'm a musician!" he snapped. "Got a problem with that?"

Booth only shrugged.

"How well did you know Marie?" Bones demanded, distancing herself slightly from the boy, as she stood closer to the door, as if she was looking for an out.

"She's my best mate," he answered easily, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his torso.

"So you and her spent a lot of time together then?" Booth pressed.

"You could say that?"

"Where did you get the alcohol?"

Puck frowned. "What alcohol?"

"You spent time with her, Puck, you just said you did. The alcohol levels in her body were considerably high and-"

"Where is she?" he demanded standing from the table. "I don't have to answer none of this CRAP! Marie didn't drink she hated the stuff, what's the deal?"

"Sit down!" Booth ordered standing from the table.

"NO!" he shot back, his eyes blazing in anger.

Booth was not bothered by his mannerisms, all he saw was a boy lost in a charade of clothes that didn't seem to match the rest of him. There was something about this young man that Booth trusted, and he didn't seem to have the traits of danger, despite his image.

Booth came around the table and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders and shoved him back into his chair. Puck pouted and folded his arms again. "I'll never say anything bad about her!" he stated.

"We aren't asking you to," Booth replied.

"So what the hell am I here for?"

"Marie's dead, Puck," Brennan stated impassively.

Puck scoffed. "No she's not."

Booth nodded softly. "Yeah, mate, she is."

The color seemed to drain from his face, as the words sunk in.

"Where did the alcohol come from?" Brennan asked.

Puck blinked and stared at her as if she had suddenly appeared from thin air. ""I didn't know," he shook his head in disbelief. "You couldn't tell, there were never any signs that she drank, but there was something sad in her eyes like she was losing the will to hold on. She wouldn't talk about it, so I just stuck by her and did what she'd let me."

"How noble of you," Booth replied sarcastically.

"GO TO HELL!" Puck barked.

"Alright," he held up his hand as a defense. "I'm sorry. Calm down. You honestly had no idea that she…"

Puck shook his head, looking like he'd been soccer-punched. "Is she really dead?"

"Yes, Puck, she's dead."

He nodded. "And you two are working the case?" he asked.

"Yes," Brennan answered.

"You'll find out who did this, right?" he was seething with bitter anger and obvious devastation. "You'll bring the bastard to justice?"

Booth nodded firmly. "Yeah, mate, we'll do our very best."

He nodded staring at a blank spot on the wall, as the situation hit home, turning from information to a reality.

Brennan watched the young man for a moment, seeing something in him that tormented her, surprised her and reminded her far too much of another man, so familiar, so close to her… it frightened her.

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_Reviews are greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

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Brennan slipped quietly from the room without either man noticing the loss of her presence. She went back to the lab and her bones, where emotions didn't matter.

Booth found her later leaning over a steel table pouring all of her energy into the bones of their victim. It was at moments like this that Booth loved to just stand back and watch _his_ Bones in complete awe of the way she could hear the language of the victims in a way no one else could even come close to touching. Swiping his card and taking the steps of the platform two at a time Booth walked up behind _his _Bones resting his hand on _his_ spot on her back.

"What've ya got for me Bones?"

"The cause of death isn't easily discernable; we'll know more once Dr. Saroyan is done with the flesh and I have access to all the bones. There are no signs of strangulation or stabbing, however there are signs of sexual assault. The oddity is there are no apparent signs of a struggle, the opposite is true, there are signs the victim had no reaction what so ever to the removal of clothing or the assault. The victim may not have been conscious. We'll no more when the tox results are in."

Booth couldn't put his finger on it, but something was definitely off. Although Bones was leaning into his hands, she seemed to be building walls again. Not once during their conversation had she used the victim's name and Cam was once again Dr. Saroyan. Had there been another falling out between the two women that he'd missed? They seemed to have been getting along well, but there was something bothering _his_ Bones now, the only question was what was it?

"Did you understand that Booth?" Brennan questioned Booth as he focused in on her once again.

"Sexually assault. No signs of a struggle. Cause of death unknown. Yep, got it Bones. Is Cam checking for drugs, especially date rape drugs?"

"You'll have to confirm that with her, but it would be logical."

Brennan continued to puzzle over the victim as Booth took a step back to watch her.

Brennan's grad student Wendell walked passed.

"Mr. Bray, take a sample of these bones as soon as Dr. Saroyan consents to the removal of the flesh. Also complete a complete x-ray series; something isn't right about their texture and elasticity."

"Yes, Dr. Brennan."

"That will be all." Brennan said snapping off her gloves and marching toward her office.

_Yep, something is definitely up with Bones._ Booth thought as he turned to follow her.

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_Reviews are always appreciated! Thanks for reading!_

_Just a quick note. I will be posting chapters 5-7 possibly 8 this week and next, however the following week I may not be able to post as I'm visiting FAMILY for the 9th anniversary of my 21st birthday and internet access may be sporadic at best._

_If you have ideas or requests we'd love to hear them. Blessed be and thank you for reading!  
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	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

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"Everything alright Bones?" Booth questioned entering her office.

"Of course Booth. Why wouldn't it be?"

"It's always harder when the victims are kids, that's all."

"A victim is a victim. I'm sorry you're having trouble with the case Booth."

For a moment he almost believed her, but the slight twitch around her eye gave her away. For some reason this case was really getting to her.

"Was there something you needed Booth? I really won't know more about the case until flesh is removed."

Booth flopped down on her office chair and leaned back comfortably.

Brennan shot him a look of disapproval.

"It's been a long day," he replied as way of explanation. The truth was he was trying to suss her out, if he stayed long enough then she might give something else away, something that told him what was going on in that pretty little head of hers.

She snatched a case file from her desk and walked over to the couch in her office, and flopped down on it.

"Bones?" he asked hiding his disappointment. The subtleness had been moot point, obviously. "What's going on with you?"

She barely looked up to meet his gaze.

"Nothing…" her voice was cool and distant.

_Yes, there is_, he thought knowingly. _I just wish you'd talk to me._

Booth was afraid to push her on this, she was a private person; even he hadn't managed to break down the strongest of walls… yet at least.

"What can I do?" he asked cautiously.

She arched her back, as if she were ready to rise from the couch and bark at him.

"I need to work, Booth. Can you give me some privacy?"

His shoulders dropped in defeat. "Yeah, sure Bones, whatever you need."

He walked to the door and stopped to look back, only for a moment, watching her closely before taking his exit. He closed the door behind him.

Taking a breath to clear her mind Brennan pulled up a familiar file on her computer and began typing.

_Journal_

_I don't understand what I'm feeling … this case … all I want to do if run. There is a part of me that is ready to board the next plane to Maluku, but I can't to do that again to you. Last year I thought it would help me gain perspective and distance. Seeing you date Catherine was painful. I don't understand how I could react so strongly to you dating someone else. I was unprepared for my own jealousy. _

_Dolphins have always been soothing. They make me smile and remind me of my mother, but after seeing you in the tie that woman got you … my reaction shocked me. It was completely irrational, but I hated dolphins and wanted to burn that tie. The relief I felt when things didn't work out between the two of you horrified me. I had to leave before I hurt you._

_I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you._

_I am so sorry for hurting your heart after you asked me to take a gamble on us._

_Booth I'm no good at love. Everyone I love ends up hurt. My parents had to leave me because they loved me. I wasn't enough to keep Russ with me. My foster parents well … I wasn't even enough for them to … no I'm not going to think about them. You and Angela are the only people who haven't left me. I wasn't even enough of a teacher and friend to keep Zach from Gormogon._

_I'm not good enough for you. Like Marie said in her letter I'm damaged goods. You deserve so much better than me._

_Angela said that you know you're in love with someone "when they are the first person you think about when you wake-up … the last thought before you fall asleep at night … when you would die for them … kill for them … when the idea of a life without that person hurts … when their happiness is more important than your own …"_

_If that is how the emotion love is measured than I do love you Booth. I didn't even think before I shot Pam. She hurt you and I shot her for it. I don't regret killing her. I would do it again. The only thing I regret about shooting her is that her death was painless._

_Does that make me a bad person? You deserve someone better than me._

_I would never survive loosing you again. Those two weeks I thought you were dead. I don't know how to describe it. It was worse than my parents leaving … I felt broken. _

_When the Gravedigger had Hodgins and me, I never doubted that you would find us. It wasn't rational, but I still knew you would. _

_When she had you, I would have killed her without remorse if it would've gotten you home safely._

_I don't want us to become Marie and Puck. I do not want you to find out how I felt by discovering a note after I've died._

_I don't know how to tell you …_

_You said you needed to move on …_

_How do I tell you now? You've moved on._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

Hi everyone I just wanted to apologize for the mix up with chapter 6 posting. Thank you DragonRose for catching my mistake! Chapter 7 will officially be the corrected version of chapter 6. Thanks again for all the reviews and updates and alerts, they really make stevieLUVSAlex and my day!

I am planning on posting through chapter 10 before I leave on the 8th. I'm not sure how frequently I will post the week after, if I will post at all, I'll be on vacation. I promise to post a new chapter as soon as I get back. In the mean time you will get at least 5 chapters in 10 days, hope you enjoy.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

_

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Booth poked his head around the corner of Brennan's office.

"Hey," he greeted.

She looked up from her computer and something crossed her expression, but before he could detect what it was, it was gone. She smiled.

"You busy?" he asked.

"Somewhat," she answered. "What is it?"

"I was hoping you'd come with me to see, Mar- the victim's mother," he said keeping his voice casual. It was hard sometimes, to set aside his emotions where she was concerned, at times, all he wanted to do was ravage her in her office, to throw aside all her files and paperwork, and throw her on top of the desk… but he was almost sure that she'd slap him and tell him he was being irrational.

Brennan sighed and stood from the desk, shutting the computer down.

"Alright, booth… we can go see the victim's mother."

"Well, don't make it sound like a hard task," he muttered. "You don't have to go, I can ask Angela," he offered.

Brennan shot him a look of surprise. "You don't want me to go?" she questioned.

"Yes, I want you to go," he snapped feeling irritated. His body reactions were causing his head to explode. He needed an out; he needed a way to rid himself of the sexual tension that he couldn't let loose.

_The shooting range_, he thought. _A perfect way to let this frustration out… I can shoot some targets and all will be good with the world… and if that doesn't work, a cold shower might be in order. _

"Your tone speaks to the contrary, Booth," she pointed out.

"You sighed as if you were annoyed I even asked," he shot back.

"I'm sorry," she looked hurt, and he instantly felt like a real S#*

He stepped sideways to approach her, and put his hand on the small of her back. He spoke gently. "No, I'm sorry, Bones… I just- it's a hard case this one," he lied.

"I understand," she nodded.

"Come on," he took her by the hand and dragged her out of the office. "Let's get to work."

… … … … … … … … … … …

Brennan knocked on the door, her hands balled into a fist, her knuckles rapping on the hard wood of the door. She looked to Booth, feeling nervous, not only because she was afraid of what she'd discover when the woman opened the door, but the feelings in her stomach were new and foreign as she locked eyes with Booth.

It happened like a dream. The world seemed to vanish, and all that was in focus was him, Booth… her partner and friend… the man she felt connected to in ways that she couldn't even understand. But she felt them. The emotions were strong, and at times overwhelming.

The sound of footsteps could be heard on the other side of the door, then it creaked open, breaking what seemed like a trance between Brennan and her partner.

She straightened composing herself.

A woman with brown hair poked her head around the corner. Brennan instantly noticed the bone structure of this woman, mirrored the victims, and beyond a shadow of a doubt, Brennan knew that she was the mother.

"Mrs. Jackson," Brennan greeted.

"Yes," the woman nodded, a dark look in her eyes, and Brennan was on instant alert, a feeling of uneasiness creeping through her veins. There was something about this woman that she didn't like, and Brennan looked to Booth. Something was shifting inside her, because gut feelings were Booth's line of work. Brennan didn't work from gut feelings, she worked from evidence.

"I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth and this is my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan. Can we come in?" Booth asked. "We would like to ask you a few questions about Marie…"

The woman sniffed, as if she had been crying.

A few minutes later, the three of them sat in the living room of Marie's home, Brennan and Booth, side by side on the couch, and Mrs. Jackson across from them, on the recliner.

"How close were you with your daughter?" Booth asked.

"Very," she answered almost too eagerly. "I loved my daughter, and we had a very good relationship. I trusted her. She was very honest with me."

"So you knew about the drinking?" Booth questioned.

It took a moment for Mrs. Jackson to respond. "Yes. I allowed her to have a glass of wine every now and then, more if it was a special occasion… I made sure she drank responsibility!"

"Was she ever drunk?" Booth was taking over the questions, as Brennan sat listening intently; watching the woman across the room, shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"I was not aware of a time, no," she said.

"Her blood alcohol level was extremely high when we did the autopsy, are you sure, you didn't know of a time when she had more than a drink?" Booth pushed. He didn't look like he believed her.

"We are very religious people!" Mrs. Jackson stated matter-of-factly. "We don't believe in intoxication, Agent Booth. But a little never hurt anyone… the bible says that a little wine can be good for the stomach. Jesus gave it to his disciples."

Booth nodded. He'd heard his minister say that, when he had the time to go to church.

"Did Marie have many friends?"

"Some…" the woman answered. "She was well loved, but her circle of association was limited. She preferred to hang around with her friend, Puck… that was just a disaster waiting to happen," she muttered.

"What does that mean?" Brennan demanded.

Mrs. Jackson turned to Brennan. "I didn't approve of their friendship. I could see that my daughter was falling into the wrong crowd. The boy's image leaves little to be desired."

"Have you taken the time to chat with the boy?" Booth asked. "Because we did, and it seemed like he cared a great deal about your daughter…"

"It was all hormones. The boy thought with his penis!" she stated vulgarly.

Booth cringed at the way she described it. Puck had been something else, in his opinion.

"Marie attended a public school," Mrs. Jackson told them. "I know they have cameras, in places all over the school and Marie had just finished an exam… maybe if you speak to the school, they might have something that could be of use…" she offered.

Booth stood, and Brennan followed his lead, eager to get out of that house, and away from that woman.

"Thank you, we'll look into it."

"Whatever I can do to help," Mrs. Jackson said with a smile. "I want to help you catch my daughter's killer. I want justice!"

"So do we," Booth replied coolly.

Booth and Brennan were let out, and once they hit the pavement and the door was closed, Brennan turned to her partner.

"I had a strange feeling about her, Booth," she expressed.

Booth nodded. "Yeah. I didn't trust her either."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

_

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_

Booth swaggered into Angela's office with Brennan, joining Cam and Jack who were already there. "Alright Ange what've you got from the school footage?" Booth asked.

"Well, not all the cameras were working, but what can you expect from a public school. I have Marie in the history wing and inside her classroom, the same with the math wing. I have her walking through the English wing, but not all the cameras were working so there's nothing of her in the classroom and near as I can tell she never went anywhere near the science wing. The arts campus is still uploading their footage. I have it cued up to the beginning with her history class." Ange replied as her fingers went through rapid motions bringing the screen to life.

_Scritch. Scratch. Scrape. Rubb. Wooh. Brush, brush. Tap. Scritch, scritch, scratch. The sound of pencils and erasers working furiously filled the air._

With a few adjustments the image focused on the victim.

_In the back of the classroom one young woman sat in complete stillness. The paper in front of her turned over as though she could care less what grade she got. The air conditioner whirled up and exhaled loudly in a vain attempt to cool the room. It was close to a hundred degrees outside and from the looks of things not much cooler in the classroom._

Brennan's focus zeroed in on the victim, her mind cataloging everything and her spine stiffening with each detail revealed.

_Her_ t_ranslucent skin was shrouded in raven locks, straight, shiny, lifeless much like she appeared to be. Red lips and dark sunglasses contrasted sharply against her near deathly pallor. Her breath barely perceptible making you wonder for a moment if she was even still breathing. A black tux jacket covered a long sleeved crimson silk blouse giving the illusion of health and vitality. Ebony jeans that would've looked painted on anyone else were relaxed and loose on the victim's slight frame. Everything about her was designed to radiate authority and control, the message was clear "I'm in control. You can't touch me." Even her black heels and sunglasses projected the message to "back off" in a not so subtle manner._

_ Her shoulders were arched back, but only her head rested on the wall. She stood out in a sea of tanned, t-shirt and short covered damp flesh. The heat didn't seem to affect her at all, even though everyone else was sweating or fanning themselves as they worked or chatted. The other students seemed to be in a constant state of motion shifting and wiggling to obtain any relief from the heat they could. The victim in contrast appeared frozen in time swaddled from wrist to ankle._

Brennan closed her eyes and took a silent calming breath opening her eyes in time to further confirm her suspicions about the victim.

_The bell rang with a sick metallic clunk. A collective groan flooded the heat slicked air. Students and teacher alike sighed gathering their things grateful to be one class closer to the end of the day. Soundlessly the victim rose, gathered her things and exited her heels clicking and tapping a steady rhythm on the pavement. Her shoulders thrust back so the silk of her shirt and the weight of her jacket barely brushed her back. On the outside for all intents and purposes she appeared stoic and cold._

Brennan's teeth bit into her lip and her hands coiled into fists, though no one else seemed to notice.

_A small smile crept onto her painted lips as she entered a geometry classroom and took her seat. Her book and papers resting neatly in front of her. The minutes seemed to tick by slowly and her body relaxed. The stark lines on her face lost some of their tension, her sunglasses inched forward on her nose and her head tilted back ever so slightly. Her hand kept moving, taking notes, but her grip loosened and her writing started to slant. The tension in her shoulders loosened and relaxed as her body leant back against the plastic of her chair. In an instant the rigidity returned to her body, like a soldier snapping to attention. Chest out, shoulders arched back, her eye twitched ever so slightly behind the dark glasses and her teeth bit down firmly into her ruby stained lips._

That was enough for Brennan she turned on her heel and walked back to her office locking the door behind her. Her hands trembled and her breathing slightly erratic as she tried to calm down. All the evidence was right there and Brennan had enough firsthand experience to recognize the signs. "Focus on the details not the victim … don't say her name … she's the victim. Bones not fully formed, striations to the soles of the feet, salt damage to the skin, unhealed fractures to the ribs, signs of demineralization, signs of heart damage, alcohol in her blood stream … focus on the details … focus on the details. I can do this." Brennan muttered quietly as there was a knock at her office door. Her eyes closed, she didn't need to be a genius to know a worried Booth was waiting on the other side of the door.

"Bones."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

"Not now Booth. I have something I have to do."

"In the middle of watching evidence? Bones open the door please!"

"Please Booth just give me some space."

The tone in her voice nearly broke him, but if there was one thing he knew it was _his_ Bones, and right now she needed space. She would talk to him when she was ready. Resting his head against her door he let out a sigh.

"Alright Bones you win, but I'm gonna need a guy hug for this."

In her office Brennan smiled through her barely suppressed tears. _Guy hugs, those were definitely something Brennan loved about her Booth._ Opening a file on her computer her fingers flew across the keys at a maddening pace, as she heard Booth's quietly receding steps.

"Ange keep playing that footage on a loop." Booth requested as he entered Ange's office.

"Booth is Bren okay? What happened?"

"Please Ange just do as I've asked."

The third time through the footage Booth moved closer to the screen.

"Go back … stop … play that again … SH-T!"

Booth's face clouded with rage as the pieces began to fall into place. His eyes closed as tears threatened to spill over.

"What is it Booth? All I see is a young woman dressed oddly for that time of year and who seems a little stiff. What do you see?"

"Seeley what is it?" Cam asked

Jack inched closer to the screen and focused in on something. "Honey can you replay that section one more time at half speed."

Booth turned away unable to watch it again.

"Oh d-mn, man how did you and Dr. B catch that before any of us?" Jack half asked half stated in shock.

"What is it?" Cam asked

"Look at the way she walks down the hall, never letting her clothes rest on her back. When she leans back the only thing she lets touch anything is her head. The one time her back touches anything she goes from relaxed to ramrod straight in less than a second. Man, look at her clothes compared to everyone else's. It's close to a 100 degrees and she completely covered from her wrists to ankles, the only place where there is a dip at all is her neckline."

Ange zoomed in on the victim's clothes. "Oh my g-d, those are skinny jeans, but look at the way they hang off her body." She gasped.

"She was abused and hid it well." Cam hissed out.

Tears silently rolled down Ange's face as her husband wrapped his arms around her.

This case was hitting too close to home … way to close to home. Even Cam could see the slight similarities between Brennan and the victim, Marie Jackson. Marie's walls were almost as strong as Brennan's had been back when Cam met her.

"Ange let me know when you've been through the footage from the arts school." Booth muttered striding out of the office and out of the lab with one last glance toward Brennan's office.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

_

* * *

_

Her phone vibrated heralding an incoming text.

_Bones I know … I'm here when you're ready. We will catch these bastards and make them pay. I promise. B_

Brennan smiled and hit closed, on the window she'd been working on, never noticing she'd hit send as well as save.

Booth looked up when he heard the familiar beep of the computer indicating that he had a new message. With the click of his mouse, he pulled up his email box, and smiled when he saw that the email had come from Brennan. It wasn't often, if ever that he received an email from her, she was more of a face-to-face when speaking than using the technology of a computer.

He frowned when he saw an attachment of what was entitled "Journal" he clicked on it, and waited for the upload. It came into a word document and his frowned deepened considerably as his eyes scanned across the page, his stomach churning at his name.

_Journal,_

_This was Booth's first case back after his brain surgery, and I am afraid I am beginning to understand him less and less. It seems he reflects one thing in his mind, but his actions prove to the contrary and it confuses me. Booth announced something tonight. He told me he loved me, before he added "in an atta-girl way" I responded to him, in the same words, but I feel foolish for doing so. I do not even grasp the content of what the words mean, let alone feel them too. _

_I harbor feelings for him; of this I have no doubt. But what kind of feelings, remain undetected?_

_I could have sworn that Booth meant more than what he said, almost as if he were covering up his main objective. Had he lacked the faith, or belief in my response? Was he afraid I would reject him? I'm not even sure I wouldn't do exactly that, only that his confusion has left me feeling the same way. I never was one to easily read a person easily as Booth seems to do; I am blunt in my speech, as Booth often tells me. I do not comprehend the want for mind games, and have no desire to change that about myself. It does not present a problem as yet, though Booth constantly informs me that I am tactless. _

_I suppose I should put in the effort to change that trait about myself. _

Booth leaned back in the black swivel chair and folded his arms across his torso. He had certainly not expected that. He didn't understand why Brennan would send something like this, to him, without at least some kind of warning. It was unexpected. Why would she write a journal and send it to him? He was baffled. But his curiosity got the better of him, as he realized there was more than one journal entry, he dragged the mouse to click the next page, and read on. He noticed instantly that the journals had changed style, and seemed to be more of a diary to _him_ than a journal entry.

_Journal, _

_I don't want to work this case. I'm trying to be logical and rational and compartmentalize. The only times it's been this difficult to stay in control of my own emotions was when the Grave Digger had you, Booth and when I thought you were dead. Or when you were kidnapped by crazed men, any time I thought that it could be possible, I'd never see you again. _

_The way Marie carried herself … not Marie … if I focus on her I'll never be able to get through this … the victim, she's the victim. Watching that tape the pieces fell into place and it was just too much I couldn't breathe … I had to get out of there. I've never walked out before … that was horribly unprofessional. I'm sorry Booth … I just had to walk away._

_The striations to the soles of the feet and the salt damage to the skin made sense. I know what she did … I've done it. I've never told anyone not you or Ange or anyone. Marie cut herself, on the soles of her feet where no one would see and then she soaked the wounds in saltwater to heal the damage. The unhealed fractures to her ribs and the damage to her heart all indicate signs of abuse. The way she moved not letting anything touch her back …._

_You can do this you're Dr. Temperance Brennan. Just like you told Zach focus on the details … look past the victim. You can do this._

Booth leaned back in his chair, a sick churning in his stomach that felt like he was being molested by bees. He couldn't believe that Brennan would have ever resorted to self-harm. She seemed so together. It only proved to him that looks were deceiving. He knew that she had issues, of that no could deny, but to do that… he was stunned. Where had he been when she was at her lowest, when she had resorted to hurting herself just to feel something… whatever reason she did it… where was he when she needed him?

He felt like a failure.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

_

* * *

_

"Sweetie … please open up."

Brennan opened the door and walked out passing Angela on her way to Cam's office.

"What is it Angela? I really need to speak with Dr. Saroyan."

Angela reached out for Brennan's arm, but her friend flinched away. Quickly moving forward, still not ready to discuss her reaction to the video yet.

"Bren," Angela whispered, hurt by her friend's reaction and scared by the way Brennan's walls seemed to be rebuilding before her eyes.

Sadly there was nothing she could do, until Brennan was ready to talk. If she tried to force the issue now Brennan would run off to Indonesia again or somewhere else and they might never get her back. Rubbing her hand over her abdomen Angela retreated back to her office.

"Dr. Saroyan I need to see all the medical records you have for the victim. I also need you to run a full calcium panel on her as well as an iodine work up. I need the results as soon as you have them."

Cam paused in shock as the Dr. Brennan from her early days at the lab rematerialized before her eyes. _Seeley you better fix this and quick or we'll lose Brennan for good this time._ Cam thought as she numbly handed the victim's file to Brennan.

"I'll get the results to you as soon as they're in Dr. Brennan."

_God help me Seeley you better fix this, _ she thought as Brennan left her office without so much as a nod.

Cam pulled out her phone and sent a quick text.

Booth's phone buzzed _Seeley get your ass back here Brennan needs you. Cam._

Booth was so lost in his own thoughts he never heard the incoming text.

Pacing his office, Booth ran a hand through his hair. This was unlike Brennan to pour out her emotions, and even more strange to send them to him in an email. Something didn't seem to fit, and it was leaving Booth confused and concerned. Booth was feeling erratic and crazy, why would she send them to him? What did he want to her to do? Was this her way of making a move on him? He pondered the questions, as he flopped down in his office chair.

Hadn't she asked him to move on?

She had turned him down when he had asked her to give them a chance, she had told him NO and insisted that he moved on, he remembered the conversation very clearly. It still pierced his heart to recall it. So what was the game she was playing now? Why did she insist on playing with him, when all he wanted to do was stay sane!

He was only one man.

Angela waltzed into his office unannounced and he looked up.

"Where have you been?" she snapped. "We have been trying endlessly to get you on your cell phone… why aren't you answering it."

"I didn't want to talk…" he said honestly.

"We need you to look over the-" she stopped talking when she realized that he wasn't listening. She took a step closer, approaching him and lay a gentle hand on his arm. "Booth, are you alright?"

He stared at her blankly.

"Ang, do you think it's possible to move on from someone who is always there?" he asked. Maybe that was what he needed. Maybe the only way to get over her completely is to leave her behind. The mere thought made his chest tighten. No, he couldn't leave her he wasn't strong enough for that. But he had to do something. And Brennan had to stop confusing him.

Angela frowned piecing together what he was asking. "You're talking about Brennan?"

Booth shrugged.

"Sweetie, she's a complicated being, you know that more than anyone… but this case, is hard for everyone, don't go questioning her motives or actions based on anything that's happened during this case. It's different. It's… weird… it's close to home for many of us. It would be irrational to make judgments based on the last week. Does that help?" she smiled gently.

_No_, Booth thought, _it leaves me in the same place I am right now_. _**And what about the emails**_? He screamed inwardly.

He managed a nod.

"Good," she said. "Now… we need your help!"

She took him by the hand and dragged him out of his office.

Booth decided, then and there, that if he was ever going to sort out his head, he needed to have a conversation with Brennan. Lay it all on the table, and ask her straight out why she sent him the email and what it meant. Whether she was ready to give their relationship a shot, or whether she was just messing with his head.

He was tired of the circles his head was spinning in.


	12. Chapter 12

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing our story. I just wanted to remind everyone that I probably won't be updating for the next 10 days or so, as I will be out of town. I promise to update as soon as I get back. Hope the first 10 chapters tide you over till then.

Blessed Be


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**A/N 3: **__Thank you so much for being patient while I was out of town. As promised here is chapter 11 or at least 11 of actual story, my trip was very inspirational so hopefully, you'll find it as enjoyable to read as we've found it to write._

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

_

* * *

_

Dr. Temperance Brennan never acted on instinct … this was all Booth's fault. He's the one who keeps insisting on using _his gut._

There was something at the edge of her memory that urged the importance of calcium and iodine. Something she couldn't forget, but didn't quite remember.

"Mr. Bray where are those x-rays?" Brennan snapped

The intern rushed the file to his boss. Her mood had everyone on edge. Experience had taught him at times like this is was best to keep his head down, look busy and stay out of her way. The only person who seemed to be able to work with Dr. Brennan when she was in a temper was Booth and he wasn't in the lab right now. Ducking out of her office as quickly as he could Wendell, rushed off to Limbo, hoping to stay out of her way; Dr. Brennan was not going to be happy when she saw those x-rays.

Taking the x-rays to a light board Brennan began examining them. The bones were barely shadows on the films. Brennan had seen neonatal bones with more definition than the victim's. There were a few flecks of white and grey on the films, but they were few and far between. The most notable points on the x-rays were the solid edges of an unhealed rib fracture that had to be at least 6 or 7 years old and the 2 inch piece of rib floating loose in her intramuscular tissue. Something wasn't right … her bones didn't show up as solid bones on x-rays, they barely registered at all.

Staring at the films Brennan felt they were familiar. _Damn Booth and his stupid gut … now I'm thinking irrationally. What happened to the rational, logical woman I use to be? Since when do I have trouble compartmentalizing?_ No matter what her head told her the feeling that she had seen something like this before wouldn't go away.

Brennan was still puzzling over the films when Cam dropped off the medical records. Frustrated Brennan flipped through them not finding the information she was looking for. There was something missing … they didn't have all the pieces to the puzzle yet. Growling she pushed back from her desk and stormed over to her couch jamming her fingers through her hair. _This case is really taking its fine on me_ she thought.

In need of an emotional release Brennan grabbed her laptop and opened her journal file. Her fingers flew over the keyboard like a woman possessed. Never knowing that a link had been made between her journal and Booth's email causing the computer to automatically email Booth the entries from her journal whenever she opened the file, Brennan typed away.

_Journal_

_I never even considered my gut until you drove construction equipment over me. I certainly NEVER used it! Now … today I've used to the point I doubt my own mind. I demand certain tests be run on the victim, because my GUT speaks to me. This isn't rational. _

_I know I've seen the victim's x-rays I feel it in my …uhhh what have you done to me? _

Banging the keyboard in frustration Brennan decided she needed more information about the victim. After thinking about it there was only one person who might be able to help her … Puck. The girl's mother was useless at best and evil at worst, Brennan wasn't sure which category the woman fit into, but she did know there was no hope of useful information from that woman. Making her decision she picked up the phone and asked Puck to meet her at the diner.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**A/N 3:**__ There are so many lovely authors on this site, such as__**stevieLUVSAlex **__my co-author and the lovely authors I've had the privilege to beta for. Please remember when reading that we all work very hard to create something for you to enjoy. A review, especially a signed review means the world to us. If you have questions or concerns we are happy to address them, but if your review is anonymous we can't. Thank you for all the lovely reviews and for reading our work to beginning with, blessed be all of you!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

_

* * *

_

They were an unlikely pair, Dr. Temperance Brennan and Puck Maser; one that didn't go unnoticed by the diner staff. For a young man who appeared so rough around the edges his manners were impeccable, always using "please" and "thank you" when responding to Carol, their waitress. His smile reminded Carol of a sad, haunted version of Agent Booth's charming smile.

"Dr. Brennan, what'd you need? You said I could help."

"Temperance" Brennan responded almost reflexively, unsure why she made the offer. "Tell me about …" she paused almost unable to say the victim's name.

"Marie" he supplied, taking a minute to observe the woman across from him. "Why do you have trouble saying Marie?"

"I d … I'm not sure."

"Fair enough. How do I help catch the sons of b-tch-s that hurt her?"

"Tell me about her."

"Why?"

"There are some anomalies we're trying to understand."

"Her bones."

It was more of a statement than a question, which prompted Brennan's curiosity.

"They weren't hard were they? There was something wrong with them."

"What do you mean?" Brennan asked schooling her features.

"In the theatre you trade massages. The hours we work … the crap we do … you'd never survive it without letting someone work the kinks out. Marie … she'd work on anyone, but there was only a handful of people she'd let touch her. … Usually it was just me."

Puck drifted off in his memories, introducing Brennan to Marie with his words. His voice wistful, longing, loving, amused and sad all at the same time; the affection he felt for Marie was painfully obvious even to Brennan.

"When I'd massage her back, her bones felt … soft … bendable … wrong. They didn't feel solid … firm like bones normally do. I asked her about it once. Marie said there were only a few points of solid bone in her body everything else was between cartilage and bone. Something about her body rejecting calcium before she was born and so stuff didn't develop right. She was allergic to calcium."

He laughed almost to himself at the memory, clutching the mug of coffee he was nursing. Brennan's mind snapped up the information Puck provided as her mind whirled and puzzled things together.

"Marie was allergic to a lot. She used to joke that she was _allergic to life, death, heaven, hell, god and everything in between_."

The memory made him smile and the edges of his eyes turn glassy.

"The two big reactions I will always remember were to calcium and iodine. She almost died the second week of school, because a dumb -ss teacher did and experiment with iodine. The -ss hole wouldn't let anyone help her to the office … she collapsed on the way there."

Tears slipped down his enraged face; his hands shook in anger at his friend's mistreatment.

"She told me that she remembered hearing the doctor call for a body bag. She wasn't even 15 and she heard someone call for a body bag for her … that's just wrong! It took 5 injections of epi-something to bring her back."

Without realizing what she was doing Brennan put her hand on Puck's.

"Puck this is VERY important. I need to know about the calcium allergy. Could she eat or touch iodized things? This is important."

He took a minute to calm down. If this would help Marie, Puck vowed to do everything in his power to help the Doctor.

"Iodine was bad. She couldn't even enter the science wing. If I'd done any experiments in class I'd stay clear of her for an hour or so … I didn't want to make her sick. Did all her science classes independent study. Couldn't eat anything with it in it … not salt or green beans … nothing and wouldn't go near shellfish. It was bad."

"And calcium?" Brennan pressed.

Puck gave a small snort. "That one was just freaky! She ate a piece of pizza and had a glass of milk in the same day … you won't believe me … H-ll I was there and I don't believe it! She passed out. No one could wake her up! We wanted to call 911, but she had a DNR that said NO TREATMENT. That was her reaction to nearly dying during freshman. She was out for 6 freakin' hours! He mom acted like it was nothing … said it was just a calcium reaction. For Marie too much calcium was like slippin' her a rooffee."

Brennan's head snapped up. The pieces were starting to fall into place. Unconsciously squeezing Puck's hand Brennan stood abruptly tossing a twenty on the table.

"Thank you."

Brennan said rushing out.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname **stevieLUVSAlex**, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! **stevieLUVSAlex **and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much **stevieLUVSAlex**, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

**_A/N 3:_**_ There are so many lovely authors on this site, such as**stevieLUVSAlex **my co-author and the lovely authors I've had the privilege to beta for. Please remember when reading that we all work very hard to create something for you to enjoy. A review, especially a signed review means the world to us. If you have questions or concerns we are happy to address them, but if your review is anonymous we can't. Thank you for all the lovely reviews and for reading our work to beginning with, blessed be all of you!_

**A/N 4:** _Thank you so much to all of our lovely readers. Life got very crazy this week and I was unable to update until today. As this is a short chapter I promise to post at least one more chapter this weekend, if you really want two more, so let me know. HAPPY ALL HALLOWS EVE!  
_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

* * *

Brennan was more like herself as she entered the lab and headed straight for Cam's office.

"Cam?"

Cam relaxed hearing Brennan use her first name, perhaps things were going to be alright.

"What can I do for you Brennan?" she relaxed welcoming the other woman into her office.

"I have some new information on our victim."

Cam perked up usually new information came through Booth, or Booth was at least there when it was discussed. _What in the world had Brennan been up to now?_ She waited for Brennan to continue.

"Did you find anything unusual during the victim's autopsy?"

"Well … there was a severe allergic reaction at the time of death and victim appeared to have been unconscious when most of her injuries were sustained."

"The tests that I asked you to run…"

"Brennan, what's this about? What do you know that I don't? Did Seeley find out something about the victim?"

"I found out the victim reacted very badly to calcium and iodine. According to my source calcium caused the victim to lose consciousness for extended periods of time and iodine exposure caused an anaphylactic reaction that nearly killed her less than 3 years ago."

Cam was flabbergasted _How in the Hell did Brennan discover that? How did she know to request those tests?_ Then the pieces started to click for Cam, the article a year or so ago that had Hodgins ranting about government conspiracies and poisoning the youth.

"Patient X?"

"That's what I suspect. The x-rays and bone texture, coupled with the other abnormalities were familiar."

"Patient X the young female who experienced violent and often life threatening reactions to the basic elements of life is really Marie Jackson."

Cam was stunned. Not only had the victim been abused, self mutilating, drinking, and likely depressed, she had also been attacked by her own body. The implications were overwhelming and depressing.

"I'll take another look at the victim, but between the test results and this new information I have cause of death and the chemical used to knock her out. Once I confirm things I'll release the bones to Wendell."

Brennan nodded leaving Cam's office. This case was more complicated by the minute. Cam's mind rushed ahead as she sent instructions for Hodgins to focus in on particulates containing calcium and iodine. She also sent a request through some channels to have the doctor behind the Patient X publication contact her. This case might come down to that Doctor's medical records.

The lab buzzed with activity thanks to Brennan's new information. This was going to be a long case. Cam only hoped for all their sake that there would be enough evidence to convict the son of a b-tch. She wasn't sure her people would be able to handle it if the bastard never paid for what he did.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**A/N 3:**__ There are so many lovely authors on this site, such as __**stevieLUVSAlex **__my co-author and the lovely authors I've had the privilege to beta for. Please remember when reading that we all work very hard to create something for you to enjoy. A review, especially a signed review means the world to us. If you have questions or concerns we are happy to address them, but if your review is anonymous we can't. Thank you for all the lovely reviews and for reading our work to beginning with, blessed be all of you!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ The song in this chapter is called Alyssa Lies by Jason Michael Carroll…We do not own it and we do not own Bones. We are not making any money from this story and no infringement is intended._

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The irony was almost overwhelming, as Brennan sat in the lab, the soft flow of country music coming from the radio she had in there, when she worked late nights. The radio was playing _Alyssa Lies_, while she examined the bones of Marie Jackson. The lyrics of the song described the very situation that Brennan imagined for this victim.

_My little girl met a new friend just the other day_

_On the playground at school, beneath the tires and the swings_

_But she came home with tear filled eyes_

_And she said to me, daddy, Alyssa lies_

_Well I just brushed it off at first_

'_Cause I didn't know how much my little girl had been hurt_

_Or the pain she had seen_

_I was ready when I said, you can tell me_

_And she said…_

_Alyssa lies, to the classroom_

_Alyssa lies, everyday at school_

_Alyssa lies, to the teachers_

_As she tries to cover ever bruise_

_My little girl laid her head down that night to go to sleep_

_As I stepped out the room, I heard her say, a pray so soft and sweet_

_God bless my mom and my dad_

_And my new friend, Alyssa, I know she needs you bad_

_Because Alyssa lies_

…

_I had the worst night of sleep in years_

_As I tried to think of a way to calm her fears_

_I knew just what it was I had to do_

_But when I got to school on Monday I heard the news_

_My little girl asked me why everybody looked so sad_

_The lump in my throat grew bigger with every question that she asked_

_Until I felt the tears run down my face_

_And I told her that Alyssa, wouldn't be at school today_

_She doesn't lie in the classroom_

_She doesn't lie anymore at school_

_Alyssa lies with Jesus_

_Because there's nothing anyone would do_

_Tears filled my tears when my little girl asked me why_

_Alyssa lies_

_Daddy, tell me why…_

She stood from the table and waltzed over to the radio to change the station. An unusual sadness crossed her eyes. It was all a little too familiar, not only for Marie, but for herself, who had also fallen victim as this child had, in the song playing on the radio.

She was surprised to find no relief, when the radio spilled out a different song.

…. … … … …. …. … … … …

Brennan didn't realize she was crying, until she felt the wetness on her cheeks. She wiped them with the back of her hand, as her eyes scanned the room. Her heart almost exploded in her chest, when she saw Booth standing in the doorway, a look of concern across his face. She placed her hand on her pounding heart in hope that she could will it to slow down. No luck.

"Are you crying?" he asked gently.

"No," she denied. She turned her face from him, and sniffled, proving her words to the contrary.

He slowly approached her, and she straightened her back, preparing herself for a fall. She could never be too prepared where Booth was concerned.

He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. She tensed. "How you doin' Bones?"

"I'm fine," she replied.

"You can talk to me… be honest for a change," he muttered under his breath.

"What?" she wasn't sure she had heard him right.

"BE HONEST!" he snapped.

"I am always honest with you, Booth," she frowned.

He shook his head in bitter anger, struggling to hold his temper and the urge to scream at her, she was sure, for making what wasn't complicated, complicated. As far as Booth was concerned, it was love. It was as easy as that, it was not more or less, than what it was… it just was.

He took hold of her chin and forced her eyes to lock on his.

"Listen to me," he demanded in a soft tone. "The more you go through life holding back and denying every emotion, the more you will get confused, the harder it will be, and happiness will be difficult to attain… do you understand me?"

She trembled underneath his hands, her heart pounding wildly against the wall of her chest, her head spinning with the desire of want, but her brain contradicting her.

"Don't be afraid…" he whispered almost pleadingly.

"I'm not," she denied. "Can we refrain from this conversation, at the present?"

"Sure," he shrugged irritated. "Why not…" he turned on his heels and took his exit.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname **stevieLUVSAlex**, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! **stevieLUVSAlex **and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much **stevieLUVSAlex**, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!

* * *

_

Booth knew he needed to talk to Bones, but something didn't seem right about the email. He'd really screwed the pooch last night and almost pushed her too far. _His _Bones might run if he pushed her and that was the last thing he wanted. Their year apart had been almost more than he could bear and confronting her about the journal would make her run, Booth had no doubt about that. Now was the time to tread softly and be gentle. Damn sometimes she reminded him of a doe, beautiful, elegant, regal, but extremely skittish and easily startled. He'd made a colossal mistake listening to the twelve year old last year, but he wasn't dumb enough to make the same mistake twice.

After taking some time to clear his head and focus on something else, Booth came to the realization that _his _Bones never would've sent something like the journal to toy with him. She was much too blunt to do that and she wasn't any good at messing with people. Besides the one thing _his_ Bones HATED above all else was being vulnerable and emotional, these journals were the written equivalent of baring her soul. He had to tread very lightly, but at least now he had hope for a possible future with _his _Bones something he hadn't had since that night on the steps of the Hoover building. Booth needed to come up with a plan and do it quickly.

A plan started to form in his mind. Over the years when things got rough he had done little things for her that seemed to hold value. When she had told him how hurt she was by being given a Brainy Smurf instead of Smurfett Booth had given her a Brainy Smurf and told her why that smurf reminded Booth of her. Brennan still had that Smurf on a shelf in her office, along with Jasper. Maybe it was time for some small gestures to remind _his _Bones she was special and important, especially to him.

Nothing huge or fancy just some very simple things it was the meaning behind them that would be important. Booth's fingers flew over the keys on the keyboard as he searched for just the right way to show _his _Bones how much she meant to him.

A little planning and Seeley Booth felt much better about the whole situation. The first order of business was a peace offering for pushing her last night. Pulling up to the organic market Brennan loved so much Booth strolled in with a smile on his face. He was gonna do something special for _his _Bones, just to remind her how much she meant to him.

An hour later Booth sauntered into the dark lab. Everyone had gone home for the night, except of course the woman he was there to see. Standing in the door way of her office with his hands full Booth waited for her to notice him.

"Peace offering Bones."

"I don't know what that means."

"It means I was a jerk last night. I hurt my best friend and I'm sorry." Booth said sincerely as he set the take out boxes down on her coffee table.

Brennan smiled softly, joining Booth on the couch. Booth pulled out the take-out boxes from the diner and handed her the bag from her market. Curiously she looked inside.

"Kalamata Olives and a chrysanthemum?"

"Hey those olives always seem to make you smile. The way I figure they're kind of like your version of comfort food and the flower means "you're a wonderful friend". I'm sorry for being a jerk. Thanks for putting up with me through everything."

Brennan was touched somehow Booth knew just how to do something sweet to make her feel better without making it seem fake. His apology was simple and sweet.

"Thanks Booth." She whispered before popping an olive in her mouth. The tang of the vinegar and simple sweetness of the sunflower oil they were soaked in blended perfectly with the rich fruity flesh of the olives. In some ways olives were like foreplay a delicious indulgence to Brennan; they were so good they caused her to moan softly in pleasure.

Booth had to turn away from the sight of _his _Bones practically making love to an olive. _Note to self maybe olives weren't such a good idea. Baseball stats, sex talks with the twelve year old, disgusting corpses, Saints … there we go._ Booth began mentally reciting all the saints in an effort to keep Seeley jr. under control. It was gonna be a long night but, if it made _his_ Bones smile it was more than worth anything he had to endure.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname **stevieLUVSAlex**, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! **stevieLUVSAlex **and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much **stevieLUVSAlex**, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

**_A_**/**N 3: **_Hi everyone sorry it's taken me a while to get this posted. I've been working on the story and got so caught up I forgot to post. Then I got the flu, anyone else think we over emphasize sharing, I'd personally be very happy if no one ever shared their colds or flu again._

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"So Bones what've you got for me on the case?"

Booth asked as they threw the last of the take-out cartons away. His back was to Brennan so he missed the flash of pain that crossed over her face, before she schooled her features.

"I got a call from Puck this afternoon asking me what you'd learned about your meeting yesterday. He said you rushed off." Booth waited holding his breath in hopes she would explain why she'd gone to meet Puck alone.

"Some things about the victim didn't make sense and I needed to know more about her. After the notification with her mother I doubted her ability to provide useful information. Puck was the logical choice to consult and I was right, he provided new information that led us to cause of death."

"Okay, how'd the kid lead you to cause of death?"

"Do you remember last year when Hodgins was raving about Patient X?"

It took Booth a minute to process Bones' speak into English.

"I remember when he was _ranting_ about … what was it the government conspiracy to poison our youth. Didn't it start because of some girl in an article called Patient X? What does that have to do with our case?"

"Patient X is our victim. Her doctor confirmed that she was Patient X this afternoon. We've also been able to confirm what caused her to lose consciousness and case of death."

"Don't leave me hanging here Bones…"

"I don't understand."

"Of course not," he flashed his charm smile, the one he reserved just for her. "It's an expression it means tell me what you found."

"Calcium was used to render her unconscious. Hodgins and Cam are still trying to confirm the source, but the evidence currently indicates that the killer added calcium to her drink."

"Wait. Wait … hold on a second. How in the world did calcium knock her out? That doesn't make sense."

"According to Puck and the victim's doctor, she had a unique reaction to calcium. They said it was like slipping her a roof or a mike, not that I understand what that means. She would lose consciousness for several hours if she ingested too much calcium, which for her was actually an extremely small amount. Puck mentioned a piece of pizza and a glass of milk caused the reaction at school, which lasted 6 hours. Her mother seemed to find nothing unusual about that event."

It took Booth a moment to figure out Bones meant roofee or Mickey, when she said _roof and mike_, but the weight of the information weighted so heavily on him he didn't even bother correcting her.

"Damn. What was cause of death?"

"Anaphylaxis triggered by iodine exposure. Hodgins found sodium iodine in her mouth, and iodine mixed into a perfume applied to the wrists, throat, ears, as well as several other points on the body. Iodine is rarely added to perfume and Hodgins and Angela are running a trace on the brand used to confirm that the manufacturer never adds iodine to the blend. If the victim had been conscious her death would've been extremely painful. She suffocated as her own body closed off her airway. The dermal reactions would have burned, as they blistered."

Booth wrapped his arms around her as she tried to compose herself. The single tear sliding down her cheek did not escape his sniper senses.

"The reason the animal activity was so concentrated according to Hodgins finds was that the greatest concentration of the iodine was on a single area of her body. It cooked the flesh, drawing the greatest carnivorous attention to that location."

Booth groaned.

"I understand that people act this way, but-"

"Not all human act this way. You know that?"

"Do I?" she questioned. As he locked eyes with her he was afraid that he was losing faith, what little he had managed to make her believe in. He tensed. "We see this every day, Booth. Everyday people become more and more sinister when it comes to their fellowman. How can you endeavor to convince me that men are good?"

Booth shrugged. Sometimes he wasn't sure himself, only that he had to believe there was some good in the world, or else he'd go nuts. "It comes down to faith, Bones. It always does…"

"But I don't have faith!" she denied.

"I think you do," he insisted.

"No, Booth, you know that-"

"I know that you have your scientific mumbo jumbo, but Bones you have to believe in something other than what you see, you have to, or else you wouldn't believe in me the way you do."

"No, Booth. That comes from previous evidence I've gathered from our time together. I observe you."

Booth laughed softly. "Come to church with me?"

"What?" she frowned.

"Church… you know, God's house!" he pressed, a look of hope in his eyes.

Brennan took a step back, making a gap between them. "I heard what you said, Booth, I just can't seem to grasp the meaning of the words."

"How hard is it? You come to church, you listen to the minister, with an OPEN mind, and you tell me afterward if you don't have some form of faith buried somewhere… deep down in that pretty little brain of yours."

She smiled actually considering the idea. Booth had made many changes for her, in the attempt to bring them closer, maybe it was her turn. "You're insane…" she laughed.

Booth grinned. "Is that a yes?"

"It couldn't hurt," she said.

Booth nodded looking like a kid with a new pony!


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname **stevieLUVSAlex**, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! **stevieLUVSAlex **and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much **stevieLUVSAlex**, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

**A/N 3:**_I'm sorry posting has taken longer than normal. I suffered a concussion last week, due to a flying toy and blurred vision has prevented editing and posting._

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

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Booth knocked on the door of Brennan's apartment, early on Sunday morning, dressed in his best church suit. This was the day that he was finally bringing Brennan to church with him, and he couldn't have been more nervous. He stood rigid with his hands to his side, in a vain attempt to conceal his apprehension.

The door opened.

"Bones…" he gasped when he saw what she was wearing, his eyes almost popping out of his head. She looked stunning… dressed in a low-cut black cocktail dress, that dropped to the floor, a white sash around her waist. His eyes focused on the low-cut of her dress, and all he wanted to do was drag her into the nearest bedroom and have his way with her. Certainly NOT something he should be thinking about as he sat in church, supposedly listening to the sermon, given by the minister. No ma'am.

"Are you ready?" she asked flashing him one of her famous Brennan smiles.

He cleared his throat. "Not saying you don't look amazing, Bones…" he explained. He could feel his palms sweating, and he wiped them conspicuously against his ironed pants. "You certainly do… like WOW… um- so good-"

"Thank you, Booth," she nodded with a slight blush. She reached out and adjusted his tie. "You look very handsome too."

"Yeah," he muttered. "You can't wear that to church!"

Brennan frowned. "I was unaware they had a dress-code," she replied.

"They don't," he corrected. "Not really. But everyone knows its church, and so you wear your finest clothes and…"

"This is one of my finest garments, Booth," she said clearly not understanding what the issue was.

Booth turned his eyes away, aware that he was staring at her low cleavage. _Damn_, he ran a hand through his hair.

"It's a little immodest for church, Bones," he said embarrassingly. He would have proudly walked into a restaurant with her in that dress, and linked her arm, happy to be near her, but this was church. The rules changed, and so did the dress-code.

"My dress is immodest," she looked hurt.

He felt like a knife pierced his heart, and he winced. "Not ordinarily… just for church. People tend to cover every part of their flesh… you know, the bits that draw attention."

She frowned. "My breasts are my best asset," she exclaimed.

He blushed evidently. "Too much information, Bones."

"Don't you think so?" she asked bluntly.

"BONES!" he warned. He was beyond uncomfortable now.

"I need a male's perspective," she insisted.

"They're fine," he said. "Can you just change, so we can go?"

Brennan sighed heavily and turned to retreat back into her bedroom, giving him a moment to compose himself, _twelve year old shrink… baseball stats… plumbing… Chandler Bing…_ She emerged a few minutes later wearing a much more conservative dress, a simple black gown that covered more than necessary, and just to be sure, she had added a shawl as a finishing touch.

"Wow… you look very elegant Bones," he nodded with approval.

She shrugged. He opened the door and led her out.

"Now remember to be conscious of other people's belief's Bones, you don't want to be upsetting anyone. Be open-minded, and listen to the words said by the man on the platform," he warned before they walked into the building.

Brennan rolled her eyes. "I know how church works, Booth."

"Alright, I'm trusting you here…" he smiled.

In church, Brennan was on her best behavior as Booth introduced her to numerous church-goers. She smiled politely and said nothing when they made a comment regarding a belief in God, as many of them did. And when the service began, she sat beside Booth in the front row.

The minster had been talking for ten minutes straight when Brennan leaned over.

"How long does this speech extend?" she asked looking bored .

"Shhhh," he hushed. He whispered back. "An hour."

"An hour?" she cried.

"Bones, Shhhh," he warned.

She pulled a face and leaned back against the wooden pews.

"You promised to be open-minded about this," he reminded her in a low undertone.

Brennan nodded and sat up straight, re-focusing her attention on the man up the front. He was mumbling something about the forgiveness of sins and how important repentance was to God. _But what if I'm not sorry for anything I did? What if it made me a better or stronger person_? She thought silently. She'd have to ask Booth about that later.

After a while Brennan began naming each bone in the human body, to pass time.

Finally, the service ended, and everyone stood to sing a song from some hymn book, Brennan noticed that everyone had the same one. She looked at Booth, who was also holding the same book in his hand, singing softly along with everyone else. "Why does everyone have the same book, where did it come from?"

"Under the seats," he hissed. "Just sing, Bones," he ordered.

Brennan frowned and shook her head.

Booth rolled his eyes, but he didn't force her to sing.

As they climbed into Booth's car when it was all over, he buckled his seatbelt and turned to her. "So what did you think?" he looked nervous.

"It was confusing," she said honestly.

"How?"

"He talked about forgiveness and Hail Mary's… but what if I'm not sorry Booth?" she posed. "What if I didn't Sin?"

"Everyone sin's Bones, it's what happened when Adam and Eve messed it all up for us."

"But repentance is something you have to feel remorse about," she pointed out. "I don't feel guilty for the things I did, because I feel they helped shape the woman I am, I learnt from my mistakes Booth, and they made me a better person."

"So you repent for everyday mistakes," he shrugged. It was harder for him to explain this to one who didn't believe in God. "It's about pleasing God."

"I don't believe in God!"

"I know that, Bones. Alright, look at us… you and me… when we get into a fight, and I say something wrong, but I didn't mean it, or I didn't feel that I did something wrong, I still apologize, because I want to make things right between us," he explained.

"I don't apologize if I'm not wrong!" she stated.

Booth laughed. "You did once, I saw you."

She frowned. "When?"

"Remember when Angela wanted to adopt that animal and it was A LOT of money, and she wanted people to help… but you thought it was pointless, you hurt her feelings, Bones, and you gave her the money, because it was important to HER! See where I'm going with this?"

"I think so," she nodded.

She sighed and leaned her head back thinking about what he'd said.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_A/N: I do not own Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy or _Apple_ Blossom Time _by the Andrews Sisters or _I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen by_ Jo Stafford they belong to_ at least to the best of my knowledge. Nor do I own Who Wouldn't Love You, it is by Kay Kaser. I selected these songs because they are beautiful and remind me of Pops. _If you have a chance you should really check them out they have videos of them on YouTube.

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

As much as Brennan hated to admit her own vulnerability this case was getting to her and spending time with Booth made her feel better.

"Are you hungry?" she asked not yet ready for their day to end.

"Diner or Wong Fu?" he asked always happy to have an excuse to spend time with _his_ Bones.

"Mac and cheese at my place?"

"Sounds great! Your mac and cheese is the best!"

The two rode in companionable silence back to Brennan's apartment, both looking forward to spending the day together.

Walking past the tape deck on her way to the kitchen Brennan hit play. Soon the well known swing music crackled through the air. Brennan's dulcet tones harmonized with WW2 era voices of the Andrews Sisters singing _Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy_ as she pulled several casseroles from the fridge; her thoughts drifting back to the early hours of the morning.

_Journal_

_I've been up since 4am. I don't know why I'm nervous. It isn't rational. My hands are trembling as I type and I find myself unable to sit still. I agreed to go to church with you. I don't even know why I said yes. You asked me and I found I couldn't say no … not again._

_I wasn't good enough for you … not when you took a gamble on us. You deserve better … better than me. I understand what Marie meant when she wrote that she was "damaged goods". I want to have an open heart. I want to be good enough for you. I just don't know how._

_Today seems so important. It feels like things are changing between us, but I don't understand. My body refuses to be still. I've made Mac & cheese and zucchini delight hoping that you will stay for lunch. Maybe I will make pudding. You love pudding … perhaps chocolate._

_I don't understand why I'm doing all of this…._

Booth leaned against the doorway watching Brennan bustle about the kitchen singing WWII songs that Pops use to play. Her face devoid of make-up, her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail, and grey yoga shorts making her look barely old enough for college. The thing that made Booth's heart swell with love and adoration was her shirt. Swallowing _his _Bones' tiny frame was Booth's missing grey FBI t-shirt. _I thought I'd lost that years ago_ Booth mused. Watching _his girl_ flutter around the kitchen, sliding casseroles of Mac & cheese and zucchini delight into the oven, wearing his shirt reawakened Booth's love for Brennan.

_Yep, Bones is worth the wait. I'll go slow and do this right. No more listening to twelve year olds. I will not screw up this time._ Booth thought with determination as he watched his best friend, the love of his life, prepare lunch for him.

"Here, let me help you with this…" he offered taking the plates to the table once she had everything ready. The table was lined with a cloth, and a candle in the center. He considered lighting the candle to lighten the mood, but he had promised not to push her into anything too fast, he was sure that border lined. So he was more than happy, when she pulled out a box of matches and lit the candle for them, creating a dim atmosphere.

He smiled as he reached for the knives and forks in her kitchen drawer, and returned to the table.

"Mmm," he moaned as he allowed the taste of her Mac & Cheese to swirl around on his tongue.

Brennan nodded, unresponsive to his compliment.

They chatted animatedly over the course of dinner, and when they were done, he helped her wash the dishes. The kitchen was tidy quickly, and Brennan offered Booth, a glass of wine as they wondered into the living room. When the sultry strains of _Who Wouldn't Love You_ started Booth could feel his palms sweating as he contemplated a question for her. He wiped his hands on his pants and approached her.

"Bones… would you like to dance?" he held out his hand.

Brennan seemed to retract, and he could feel his stomach twisting in knots. Damn, he'd moved too fast.

"Alright," she agreed surprising him as she took hold of his hand.

He guided her easily into his arms, and held her by the waist, careful not to press himself too close against her, in fear that she would withdraw. It wasn't easy to hold her at the distance he was, but he forced himself not to move closer as they moved to the slow dance of the melody. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth that flooded through him as he held onto her.

"Booth…" she whispered.

"Yeah?" he didn't stop dancing, but he found himself tightening his grasp around her waist only slightly. She didn't complain, which was a good sign.

"This is nice," she admitted.

Booth smiled. "Yeah, it is."

"Bones?"

"Hhmm?"

"Where did you get this collection?" Booth whispered soft into her hair, already suspecting the answer.

"Pops, gave it to me before I left for Maluku."

Chuckling into her hair Booth told her the story behind Pops' music.

"My Gran listened to this music everyday while Pops was overseas. She told me that this music reminded her of Pops and helped her feel less alone. Her favorites were always The Andrews Sisters. Every Sunday she'd put the albums that kept her company while Pops was away. Every Sunday after dinner Pops would dance with her to _Who Wouldn't Love You_ by Kay Kaser, Apple_ Blossom Time _by the Andrews Sisters, and _I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen. _I think Pops gave you a mix of all of Gran's favorite music."

"Why would he do that?"

"My guess … it's his way of saying you remind him of her and letting you know you're family. Pops has adopted you Bones."

"I don't understand … how could he adopt me? I wasn't eligible for adoption and I'm too old."

Booth chuckled and smiled as _his _Bones was clearly confused.

"It's an expression Bones. Pops is telling you that you're family to him. In his mind and in his heart you're his daughter. He loves you."


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: **__Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

_**A/N 2: **__Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**A/N 3:**__ Technical thanks to DragonRoze for confirming some computer and technical information for this story. Blessed Be._

_**A/N 4:**__ To everyone stateside or who celebrates Thanksgiving, please have a wonderful and joyous day! This Thanksgiving I am thankful for the lovely friends I've made here on FF, for all the lovely people who take the time to read our story, and for all the lovely authors who trust me enough to allow me to beta for them or co-author work with them! Have a very blessed Thanksgiving!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

Later that night while checking his email at home Booth made a startling discovery. Since the first email from Brennan containing her journal entries Booth had been avoiding his email. The idea of facing that message again was just too much for him to deal with until he knew how he was going to handle the situation. What he discovered in his inbox had Booth reaching for the lone bottle of scotch he kept in the cabinet above the stove.

There in his Inbox were thirteen messages from _his _Bones. Every single one of them had the same heading _private journal update_. With trembling hands Booth opened the link. _What in the world was going on? Bones never shares this much of herself with anyone … not even me. Why now? Why like this? Is it possible this was an accident? Does she know she sent this to me? Should I be reading this? What do I do now? Should I stop reading this? Should I tell Bones? What is going on?_ A thousand questions flood through Booth's psyche as he opened the first email update.

It seemed that every time Brennan updated her journal program Booth received an email update informing him. The most recent update had come been received at 6 am that very day.

_Journal_

_I've been up since 4am. I don't know why I'm nervous. It isn't rational. My hands are trembling as I type and I find myself unable to sit still. I agreed to go to church with you. I don't even know why I said yes. You asked me and I found I couldn't say no … not again._

_I wasn't good enough for you … not when you took a gamble on us. You deserve better … better than me. I understand what Marie meant when she wrote that she was "damaged goods". I want to have an open heart. I want to be good enough for you. I just don't know how._

_Today seems so important. It feels like things are changing between us, but I don't understand. My body refuses to be still. I've made Mac & cheese and zucchini delight hoping that you will stay for lunch. Maybe I will make pudding. You love pudding … perhaps chocolate._

_I don't understand why I'm doing all of this…._

Each word filled his heart with hope as it shattered into a million pieces for his dear friend who had been through more than he could ever imagine and far more than anyone deserved. Booth was up most of the night reading her journal and trying to figure out what to do to show the love of his life what an amazing person she truly was. The journal went back almost to the first case they had worked together. More recent entries were addressed to him, but even the older entries seemed to center around him and their interactions.

_Journal_

_That man … Special Agent Seeley Joseph Booth … first he tests me by withholding information, then fires me after we found all the evidence for his stupid case. He's lucky I only punched the judge. I should've punched him. _

_He does know how to kiss…_

_I won't see him again. The FBI can work without my expertise. _

_He is well structured …_

_I will NOT work with the FBI again!_

Her first entry brought a smile to Booth's face. From the beginning she'd found him attractive. Well that was something he could work with.

_Journal, _

_I enjoyed an outing with you and Parker today at the Royal diner. It was nice to take Parker out with us for a change. He's a good boy. He had some eccentric ideas about you and me, when he spoke about boyfriends and girlfriends. He seems to think that the two of us would make for a good relationship, emotionally. When I inquired his reasoning, I was surprised to find that all he wanted was a swimming pool. _

_I am intrigued at the inner workings of his young mind. Like me, he tends to say it like it is. His milkshake fetish is quite amusing. I have formed quite a bond with him, I think. I feel affection for Parker; he's a beautiful boy, much like you in many ways. _

_I worry sometimes that his home-life with Rebecca, leaves him lacking in the traditional family unit. I feel it's important to the growth of a child to have both parents, but it's not necessary detrimental to his mental state. I just don't want for Parker what I had for myself, when I was growing up. I know he isn't lacking in love from his father, I watch you with him, Booth, and the love you have for him is evident by your actions and speech. _

_I'm glad I could be of assistance by giving Parker the use of my swimming pool. You seemed pleased… I like making you happy, Booth._

_I recall a previous Christmas. You and Parker had conjured up a tree. I was 15 the last time I celebrated Christmas with my family, and had a tree and presents, and then you went and changed all that. As always you took care of me… _

_Max and Russ were behind bars and no items, gifts or trees were to be brought into the visitation room. No exceptions for my father. So you did the second best thing you could, and brought Christmas to us! You'll never know the joy I experienced when you did that, when you brought the Christmas tree to the window and created a sense of freedom for my family. Thank you. _

_The lengths that you went to, I know there isn't anything that you wouldn't do for me, if I asked._

"No, Bones," he answered aloud. "Nothing I wouldn't do for you."

He leaned back in the chair, allowing a moment for her words to sink in. There was no doubt in his mind now that she was somewhat attracted to him, any trace of that he had, was now gone. He was keen now to find out how that might work to his advantage. Was there a possible future with her?

The next entry centered on something darker, than Booth wanted to read.

_Journal,_

_I have this immeasurably deep persistent knot in the core of my stomach. It hurts. It's been present since the news of your death. My emotions are in check, at least outwardly. I am seemingly placing my feelings aside, and burying myself in paperwork, so to speak. Sweets, seems to believe I am compartmentalizing, but I don't feel that's factual. _

_I fear my own mental state, the empty hollow feeling that causes an ache in my heart, I can physically feel it, I feel the hollow hole expanding. It hurts. I miss you… I have not felt this measure of pain since the death of my parents. _

_I feel lost and hopeless. Work seems pointless in your absence, but I know it's the only thing to keep me sane. They say time heals all wounds, but without you, I cease to believe, even that._

Booth suddenly understood Brennan's hospitality about the situation, regarding his false-death. She had been hurting… grieving. He remembered the force of her shove, when she had knocked him to the ground at his own funeral. She'd been bitter angry and reluctant to forgive.

Now he understood why. But nothing could've prepared him for the entries that followed.

_Journal_

_You promised you would never leave me … Booth. You lied to me. I begged you to hold on … I begged you to fight … I never beg … never, but you I begged to stay. I begged you and what good did it do? You DIED Booth … You died!_

_Why didn't you fight? Is there something about me that drives everyone I care for away?_

_Why couldn't you just let her kill me? Why did you have to be a hero?_

_I miss you so much …_

_I hate you so much …_

_How could you leave me?_

Booth had no idea the extent of damage his faked death had caused, but each entry revealed more sorrow and heartbreak.

_Journal_

_My best friend is gone._

_You're gone._

_I can't focus._

_I can't sleep._

_Now here I am at 2 in the morning in your empty apartment … wearing an FBI shirt from your dirty hamper._

_This isn't rational._

_This isn't sanitary._

Silent tears cut firm red streaks down Booth's face. The depth of loss and emotional turmoil _his _Bones had gone through because of his faked death broke his heart. The image of his strong friend curled up on his bed in his dirty FBI shirt was almost too much to bear.

Knowing how she had come to own his old shirt warmed his heart, even as he wept for her suffering. The depth of her feelings gave Booth hope for a future together.

_Journal_

_You said you regret the lives you took as a sniper._

_I don't regret killing Pam! My only regret is that I didn't fire first._

_How dare she kill you!_

_Her death should've been slow and excruciating. She didn't deserve to die quickly._

"Oh, Bones" Booth murmured. He felt unworthy of her loyalty and devotion to him. His dear friend had killed without doubt or remorse for him … had he ever even thanked her? That was something he needed to fix as soon as possible.

_Journal_

_I am Dr. Temperance Brennan._

_I am a rational human being._

_I will compartmentalize._

_I will focus on my work._

_I will identify bodies … one skeleton at a time._

_Work will go on._

_I will do my job._

This amazing woman who people saw as cold, emotionless, and sterile felt things to the very depth and breathe of her being. She felt things more deeply than anyone gave her credit for, including him. She felt things so deeply that the only way she could function was by pretending she didn't feel and bottling everything up inside.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** _Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex**__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__**,**__ this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2:** _Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**A/N 3: **__Thanks to a very lovely review that reminded us once again how thankfully we are for all of our readers, especially those who take the time to send us reviews, here is a bonus chapter. It's short, but important!_

_**Disclaimer:** Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

_Did I ever thank Bones for shooting Pam? Have I ever thanked her for saving my life? How many_ _times has she saved my life without so much as a thank you?_ Booth wondered overwhelmed by the implication. Well, that was something he would have to change and soon.

A million ideas filtered through Booth's mind as he tried to puzzle out the perfect way to say thank you. A carriage ride under the full moon, out to somewhere they could see the stars, especially Dolphina in remembrance of her mother … maybe. A partners training at Quantico … perhaps. Whatever he did it needed to special, unique, memorable and above all else it needed to honor _his_ Bones and what she meant to him.

_I really need to think this through. I can't afford to F up this time. Bones will kill me when she finds out I've been reading her journal anyway, I've gotta make this count._

It was with those thoughts battering him that a true idea began to take shape. But before he went any further Booth had to do some research. Scratching out his questions on a scrap of paper, he formed a plan of attack.

Are there any symbols that mean both friendship and loyalty?

Is there something that means truth as well?

Is there a symbol with anthropological significance?

Is there something that means all of those things without being overly religious?

Booth wanted to thank Brennan not only for saving his life and having his back for the last seven years, but most of all for being his friend. The way to Brennan's heart was anthropology, so this gift needed to be about that and for her, so anthropology was definitely the way to go. It wasn't Booth's strong suit, but for _his _Bones he'd make the effort. Thank God for the internet! It just might be his saving grace.

Three hours of research later and Booth didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The answers had been remarkably easy to find and oddly enough one of them he only had because they had spent time on opposite ends of the world. A small dark bluish stone that he'd bought in Afghanistan, because it reminded him of her was part of the key to his gift. He hadn't even known the name of the stone when he'd bought it: he just had to have it to remind him of his true love. Who knew that a small stone would come in so handy. Now, that small royal blue Lapis Lazuli would be the centerpiece … the heart of his gift.

Now, he had some decisions to make. Would he order it or make it himself? Something told Booth that it would mean more to her if he carved it himself, maybe as a chunky wooden pendant for a necklace. It would be unique just like for the woman it was for. _Thank you Pops, for insisting that I learn to carve! It's finally gonna come in handy and maybe, just maybe it would help him get his girl. _Maybe he could even get his old army buddy to set the stone heart for him. Yep, the way to go was handmade, it might take a while, but it would be worth it.

Booth thought back to a case they'd worked when they were starting out. Sometimes Fate steps in and hands you just what you need before you need it. Resting in his bottom drawer were several pieces of cedar from their trip to deal with the Man in the Bear. Just a couple of small hunks that would be perfect for carving, but maybe they'd also remind her of all they'd been through like they reminded him. He hadn't known why he felt compelled to bring those pieces home with him then, but now they would have a purpose.

Almost on autopilot, he retrieved one of the pieces and the whittling knife Pops had given him for his thirteenth birthday. In his mind he could see the finished product, each shaved flake revealing the Irish totem. Staring at the image on his computer, Booth's hands moved almost effortlessly scraping off the excess wood to reveal what lay beneath.

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_A/N: What is Booth making for Brennan? When will he give it to her? We'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions._


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**A/N 3: **__I'm sorry for the delay this week, but things have been a little chaotic. The main reason being a beautiful 8 pound 3 ounce baby girl named Olivia, who finally arrived very early this morning, I've spent so much time calming down her nervous mommy and daddy! _

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

It had been a rough day there had been very little progress on the case. The truth was they needed a miracle … something to point them in the right direction and unfortunately while they had a plethora of evidence it wasn't pointing them in any specific direction. Each day he could see it eat away at the squints a little more. Brennan was on edge and her mood seemed a rub everyone the wrong way, this case just hit too close to home for her and Booth was getting concerned.

Against his better judgment Booth grabbed a beer and opened up a now familiar file on his computer. He'd confess this sin again tomorrow; oddly enough Father Thomas hadn't called him a pervert for reading Bones journal. Father Thomas' words still rang in his ears _"Invading her privacy is wrong, but God has a purpose for everything. Perhaps God sent you these journals for a reason. Just be sure that you act the way the Lord would want you to and help this woman."_

The next entry shocked Booth more than anything, but at the same time it was completely Brennan.

_Journal,_

_I know you might be upset with me, but I did something today. I have no one, but you, Angela, Zac and Jack. You all have become my family. I don't know how to tell you this, but I think I've fallen in love with someone. He's so adorable … I know that's not a scientific way to describe someone, but I find it difficult to describe him with science … it doesn't seem strong enough. They aren't right for him. He has very pleasing symmetry like his father, his hair is soft and fluffy, I find it difficult to deign him when he looks up with his big brown eyes so like his father's and grins. I've never really like children, but I find this young man quite pleasing._

_Today, I set up a trust fund for Parker. I never thought I would want children of my own, but the more time I spend with Parker and you the more I find my mind preoccupied with the thoughts of children. After caring for Andy and spending time with you and Parker, I find that I miss the smiles and laughter of their tiny voices and the warmth of their touch when they are gone. I know that Parker is your son, but I wanted to make sure that all of his dreams can come true. He has such an inquisitive mind and is so eager to learn, I want him to have everything he needs to become an amazing man. _

_It isn't much Booth … I promise, it's just the advance from my second book. It should be enough for him to attend any school he desires without having to worry about paying for school or housing. He will be able to focus on his studies. _

Booth didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The first time _his _Bones admits to being open the concept of love and the person she admits to loving is _his _son. A part of him was so proud of her for being open to love, but he couldn't help being jealous of the little mop haired angel who'd won _his _woman's heart. As for the trust fund, while he didn't even want to think about how much the advance from her second book was. If she were sitting in front of him now, he'd kiss her forehead.

_Journal, _

_Since your invented death, I have felt our bond growing. Now that an idea has sprang to mind, I can't seem to let it go. I want to take this opportunity while it's here. I want your baby. It's not just about the appropriate genes, traits and physical appearance, that does help however. I am more interested in holding onto something that is part of you. _

_It seems irrational to want this, and I am not an overly emotional being, but something is telling me that this is important. If I'm being honest with myself, I don't want anyone else's child, Booth. I want yours. I have learnt enough about you. Your personality shines. You are compassionate, giving, thoughtful and always protective. I want that for my child. I will not trust another the way I trust you. _

_I do hope you'll agree to give me this baby. Your baby! I know it's more than the average request, and if you do refuse me, I am certain it would be a valid reason. I predict our values on raising a child may differ… you are a man of old-fashion values. _

That was certainly true. But now he had a new hope… a hope of someday in the future having her baby, but raising it the traditional way.

_Journal,_

_I don't believe in God. I only truly have faith in one thing other than science and that's you, Booth. Every time I've needed you … every time, often before I even know that I need you. You've been there for me practically since we met. At times you drive me off rocks … did I get that right … it doesn't matter I suppose. But, the one thing I've never doubted is you. You have defended me to Cullen … even though I didn't need it. You stood beside me and helped me find my father and the strength to let him and Russ back into my life. I don't know what I would do without you. I have faith in you! It might not be rational, but I do._

As guilty as Booth felt for invading Brennan's privacy by reading this obviously private journal, he chose to view it as a gift from God. A chance to help a very special woman, truly realize just how much she meant to those around her.

_I will use this to help her … to love her the way she deserves. I will protect her with my life._ Booth thought as he continued to read. His beer long since forgotten as he once more became lost in his true love's words. This was going to be a long night.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname **stevieLUVSAlex**, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! **stevieLUVSAlex **and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much **stevieLUVSAlex**, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

The case had everyone fraying at the seams. Cam watched Brennan like a hawk hoping and praying that this case wouldn't bring back the woman she'd met several years ago. Angela was constantly rubbing her belly, to the point Hoddgins was afraid she'd rub a hole right through her clothes. The interns just tried to keep their heads down and stay out of everyone's way. Even Sweets was on edge, the truth was he didn't know what to make of this case.

Dr. Brennan was closing herself off to everyone, but Booth and the entire Jeffersonian was closing ranks around her. It wasn't like they were shutting him out exactly they just refused to discuss anything other than the facts of the case. He'd been sitting in the lounge overlooking the lab for an hour now trying to piece together what was going on and sadly he was no closer to understanding things than he was when the case file crossed his desk a week ago. Marie Jackson was an enigma; according to everyone they had come across she was a quiet, private, young woman. No one seemed aware of the abuse she'd suffered, her drinking, or her self-mutilation. It was as though she walked through life playing a character so well, no one ever thought to question it. _Marie would've made a great spy _Sweets mused.

_What had it been like for Marie to have her own body turn against her? How had she coped in silence? Who had sexually assaulted her? Had it been rape or was it consensual rough sex? Who had beaten her and why? Why was this case making Dr. Brennan shut down? How had she known that Marie was Patient X, before anyone else? What was going on with everyone? Why weren't they talking with him?_ There were so many questions tumbling around in Sweets head, you could almost see the poor rat spinning fruitlessly on its wheel.

When Brennan first started showing signs of withdrawal and when the only information Booth and the Squints would give him on the case were the bare bones facts, Sweets grew suspicious. After an entire session of silence and private communication between his favorite couple Sweets tried requesting Dr. Brennan's social services file hoping to get a better insight into what the good doctor might be going through. Oddly enough her file had been sealed and when he went to Cullen to request the file be released Cullen had shot him down cold, even going so far as to confirm that he had personally sealed the file and would have it destroyed before releasing it to anyone else. Sweets wasn't sure what to think, but with each path blocked he felt a little more like he was trapped in one of Dr. Hoddgins conspiracy theories.

On the positive side at least his favorite patients seemed to be leaning on each other more, because of this case. If anything Booth seemed even more protective of Dr. Brennan. Remarkable instead of insisting she could take care of herself like she had in the past Dr. Brennan seemed to rely on Booth more during this time of stress. Something was definitely going on with the team and especially with Booth and Brennan. _Perhaps this will be the catalyst that finally brings them together as a couple_ Sweets mused.

"Dr. Brennan there is someone here to see you?" a guard called getting Brennan's attention from the platform.

Brennan turned toward the guard and stripped off her gloves upon recognizing the face of her visitor.

"Thank you, Frank." She said to the guard as she waved him away and gestured for the young man to follow her to her office.

Sweets jaw practically hit the floor. Who was the goth, punk, young man with tri-colour hair who Dr. Brennan greeted like an old friend? How in the world did that young man and Dr. Brennan know each other? What was he doing at the Jeffersonian?


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

Puck and Brennan sat in her office, waiting for Booth to arrive.

"Dr. Brennan, you said that I could help …" Puck opened hoping that Dr. Brennan would tell him how, he was still a little confused and slightly overwhelmed from their last meeting. Agent Booth had explained that Dr. Brennan was _special_ and that her brain worked faster than anyone else and sometimes she forgot others had trouble keeping pace with her mind.

Just then Agent Booth walked in and Puck couldn't help the quiet breathe of relief that perhaps with a translator for the good doctor he might understand how to help with the case.

"Hey Bones. Puck." Booth greeted them taking a seat next to Brennan.

"Puck, man we've got to thank you." Booth said extending his hand to the young man "thanks to what you told Bones about Marie, we were able to find cause of death and discover that Marie was Patient X."

"No reason to thank me. I just wish I could've saved her … she was my best friend and now …" Puck trailed off, but both Brennan and Booth understood what Puck was saying as their close calls flashed through their minds.

"Puck, we have some more questions for you."

"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan anything that I can do to help you make sure the bastard fries you ask and it's yours."

"The contents of her stomach don't make any sense. They don't fit any known recipe that we can find and we were hoping you could help us determine how they got into her system."

"I'll try."

"Blueberry-apple puree, kool-aid, large amounts of citric acid, sugar, applesauce, other assorted fruit pulp, and a Mount Rain style soda."

"Mt. Dew, Bones."

"Yes, that. Dr. Hoddgins said it was highly caffeinated, but that the chemical composition of the stomach had three times the level of caffeine found in the soda normally."

"Dr. Brennan, that's Joy Juice." Puck stated with a sad smile.

"What?" Brennan and Booth both asked.

"Joy Juice. It was a drink Marie created; it was a little different each time. But the basics were the same kool-aid, sugar, blueberry-apple baby food, lemon juice, applesauce, whatever fruit puree she happened to have and soda added when you drank it. Marie rarely ate; fact is it's hard to remember seeing Marie eat. She'd much fries or a cookie every now and then, but all she really every did was drink that stuff and soda."

"So, if someone wanted to slip her a mike without her being aware they could've put it in that?" Brennan mused.

"Yeah, if you were gonna give her something that'd been the best place to put it. Why?"

"I'm sorry Puck we can't tell you that, at least not right now." Booth said his voice pitched low and tinged with sorrow. "Could you help Dr. Hoddgin's recreate this Joy Juice? That way we can make sure the chemical makeup is the same."

"I said anything. Tell me when and where." Puck said tugging on his ear expander. "Listen there's something I've been thinking about, but I got no proof."

Booth nodded leaning forward waiting for the young man to continue. Without noticing what she was doing Brennan put her hand on Booth's knee and gave it a sympathetic squeeze. Booth glanced down at her hand and laced his fingers through hers.

Puck shook his head and silently wondered _I wonder when they'll admit their together, g-d they remind me of Marie and I. Wish we'd gone for it before we were too late._ Shaking himself out of his internal revelations, Puck continued.

"I got no proof, but something wasn't right between Marie and her mom. I mean she put on a good show, but that's always what it seemed like to me. That woman was putting on a show, pretending to be this great mom, but it didn't seem like love. When she was around, you could see Marie flinch. It was in her eyes like she was expecting something. I don't know … it just didn't seem right." Puck's eyes were glassy as he continued to rub the piercing seeming to draw comfort from the action.

Booth and Brennan locked eyes both silently agreeing with Puck that something was off with Mrs. Jackson. "Thanks Puck, you've been a big help man." Booth said shaking Puck's hand. "Let me introduce you to Hoddgins he'll be the guy you'll do the experiment with." Booth said leading the youth out of Brennan's office.

* * *

_ If there is something you'd like to see we'd love to hear about it. Reviews mean the world to us and let us know what you like and what you don't, so please shoot us a review with your thoughts.  
_


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

**A/N 3**_**: **__Hey guys as soon as I'm able to get my computer to read the stupid file I will post a copy of the Joy Juice recipe online and put a link on my profile. It actually can and has caused the effects described in this chapter and the next. True to form the real life Puck and the real life Marie are two of the very few people who've witnessed actually able to handle the fermented form of Joy Juice with little or no ill effects._

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

Later that afternoon a very flustered Angela marched into Brennan's office. "Sweetie, do you mind telling me what the hottie is doing to my husband?" She asked with her hands on her hips, Brennan wasn't sure whether her friend looked more amused or flustered _I wish I was able to read people like Booth_ she thought.

"What Hottie Angela? What happened to Hoddgins? I didn't hear anything explode. He was supposed to be replicating a drink to determine if it was strong enough to mask the chemicals used to subdue and kill the victim." Brennan stated completely perplexed by how something to simple could have upset Angela.

"Just come see for yourself." Angela huffed stomping towards one of the rooms Hoddgins routinely used for conducting experiments with a baffled Brennan in tow.

Even Brennan, who was normally the pillar of proper work etiquette, couldn't contain her giggles at the sight that greeted her. Jack Hoddgins was running around the lab like a hyperactive toddler on speed, sipping from a beaker of thick, bubbling, purplish-red liquid. Booth was seated on a stool swinging his legs drinking from a similar beaker with a lopsided grin on his face, which bore an eerie resemblance to his vicodine face. Wendell had a serious case of the hiccups and giggles. Fisher was actually smiling, which in and of itself was just downright disturbing. The only two people in the room who appeared sober were Aristol and Puck. Puck was drinking from a beaker just like the three sauced scientists and the plastered agent, but he appeared completely unphased.

"Puck what happened here?" Brennan questioned both amused and concerned for her co-workers.

"Dr. Brennan, pardon me for interrupting, but it is not Mr. Maser's fault. He advised against mixing the … Joy Juice with caffeinated drinks, but Dr. Hoddgins and Agent Booth insisted they could handle a little caffeine and sugar. They mixed it with Mt. Dew, just as Mr. Maser, to test the concoctions ability to mask the murder weapon. I believe the evidence supports Mr. Maser's assessment that they would be unable to handle the sugar and caffeine." Aristol hurried to explain the bizarre behavior of his co-workers. "It seems that the combination of fruit, citric acid, and sugar causes the caffeine and sugar levels to become highly amplified."

"So let me get this straight my husband and Agent Sexy are high on sugar and caffeine like a couple of toddlers?" Angela managed to ask through her laughter.

"Yep, that's about it." Puck said with a smile as he watched the incredibly brilliant people in front of him act like children.

"Why do you appear unaffected?" Brennan questioned Puck.

"Easy I've been drinking this stuff practically since I met Marie. I've had it mixed with Jolt, Water Joe, Mt. Dew, just about any soda combination you can come up with. I've had it when Marie oopposed and thawed a frozen batch in the sun for too long and it got everyone else drunk by mistake. Guess you could say I got a H-ll of a tolerance for the stuff, unlike them this ain't my first time." Puck said with a smirk.

Just then Cam walked in. "I could've sworn I hid the pure alcohol from Hoddgins. How in the H-ll did he talk Seeley and the interns into drinking with him?" Cam demanded.

"It's not alcohol at all its sugar and caffeine; they just can't hold their own." Replied Puck, with barely concealed mirth.

"Sugar and caffeine? Really? Oh I will never let them live this down." Cam crooned.

"It was an experiment to determine the ability to conceal the murder weapon, from the victim." Brennan stated "Although if I understand correctly their Alpha Male tendencies necessitated that they consume the drink to prove their virility, but they failed miserably."

"Well, in that case make sure everyone gets home safely and let's call it a day people." Said Cam leaving the lab.

It took a little coxing, but Brennan and Angela managed to convince their men to head home and Aristol loaded Fisher and Wendell into cabs with the help of Puck, who found the whole incident thoroughly amusing.

* * *

_We were going to hold off posting this chapter until later in the week, but do to some lovely reviews we decided to post a little early. Hope you all enjoy it and we can't wait to hear your thoughts! We'd also love to know what you'd like to see happen in this story, so please drop us a line and let us know what you think!_


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us! To all of those of you who review, especially those who review anonymously thank you for taking the time to send us your thoughts, we try to respond to all reviews personally so please accept our gratitude for your time! _

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

"Alright Booth, come in and sit on my couch." Brennan attempted to guide the overly affectionate agent into her apartment.

"Mmmhhhh. You smell good. I like the way you smell, it's just my Bones' special scenty." Booth muttered nuzzling Brennan's hair.

Brennan knew she should object to Booth nuzzling in her hair and burying his face in her neck, but the truth was his actions were quite pleasurable. Instead of object Brennan found herself biting her lip to suppress a moan. Brennan led Booth over to her couch and went to the kitchen to over Thai.

This side of Booth was quite entertaining. Who knew sugar and caffeine could reduce Booth even further than vicodine. He was almost childlike and seemed fascinated by each seemingly new experience. Brennan leaned against the kitchen wall as she watched Booth play with a bowl of decorative balls, at this moment her best friend reminded her of a cat playing with a ball of yarn.

Just then her phone chirped alerting Brennan to an incoming text. A glance at her phone told her it was a video message from Angela. Playing the message Brennan nearly doubled over laughing at the image of Jack Hoddgins sliding down a banister giggling with glee. **This is going to be a long night, but at least their silly with sugar and not drunk and surly, **read the text Angela had included with the video. Brennan thought for a minute about sending Angela a video of Booth playing, but decided against it _what is ours is just for us_ rang the sound of Booth's voice. No, she would keep this just between the two of them, it would be theirs alone.

"Bonesy, where'd you go I'm starving.." came Booth's childlike whine breaking Brennan out of her thoughts.

"I ordered Thai, it'll be here soon Booth." Brennan said handing him a bottle of water as she sat on the couch.

"Water? Baby, I don't want water." He whined again in a childish voice, while twirling Brennan's hair.

"It's water or soy milk." Brennan stated firmly already knowing he'd choose the water.

A pout firmly in place Booth open the bottle and took a swig. Brennan quickly decided reasoning with Booth in his current condition was pointless, so she chose to let the "baby" comment slide. Booth nuzzled his face into her neck and purred like a contented kitten against her throat.

"I like it here. Me and you. Never leave me Bones, I can't make it without you. You and Parker you're my everything. Love you." Booth mumbled into Brennan's neck.

Brennan was overwhelmed. _Did he mean it? Would he still feel this way in the morning? How can he love me? He's never said that before._ Her chest felt tight at Booth's words. She wanted him to say those words to her when he knew what he was doing, but she had hope that he meant them _maybe he does love me_. There was hope.

Booth's rumbling snore broke Brennan out of her thoughts. She guided his head down to a pillow she'd placed on her lap. Once again lost in her thoughts she mindlessly ran her fingers through his hair, as she contemplated the future and where it might lead.

* * *

_Some of you are asking for longer chapters and we promise that there are some longer chapters to come, but the story writes itself so the chapters end when they feel finished. Perhaps it's too much time in the theatre, but I've been accused of writing with commercial breaks, what can I say it's probably an accurate description. Hope you continue to enjoy it even though the chapters are short._


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us! To all of those of you who review anonymously thank you for taking the time to send us your thoughts, we try to respond to all reviews personally so please accept our gratitude for your time! _

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

_Journal,_

_Who knew you couldn't handle sugar and caffeine? I need to have that concoction tested; its effects are quite unique. Both you and Hoddgins had very unique reactions; you seemed to regress back to a stage in your youth. Both of you exhibited playful, youthful behavior; Hoddgins slide down a banister giggling like a young child and you seemed completely intrigued by a bowl of decorative balls. It was truly fascinating to observe. You reminded me of what Parker was like when I first met him._

_I am glad I had the forethought to set my laptop within reach before you went to sleep on me. I find that I need to work through my thoughts. This method has proved to be highly beneficial for me. My mother encouraged me to keep a diary as a child. She said it was a way to work through your day. I find myself thinking of my mother a great deal recently. I wish that she were here to converse with me. There are moments when her confidence would prove quite valuable._

_Now is one of those moments. Less than an hour ago you said you loved me and couldn't make it without me. You didn't qualify your love this time. Does that mean you would miss my friendship? Or do you feel something more than friendship for me? Do you love me? Could you love me? I wish my mother were here to help facilitate my understanding. My father was always proficient with science and math, but my mother was like you… she was the heart person. She was able to help me understand my emotions. Some days I miss her greatly … so much so that my chest hurts. I felt that way about you when you were in Afghanistan and I was in Maluku._

_I want you to love me. Angela explained love to me as longing to be with someone all the time … that person is the first you want to call when something good happens … or something bad. They are your last thought at night and your first thought in the morning. If that is an accurate description of love than I believe that I love you. _

_Having you sleeping on my lap as I work through my day is quite pleasant. I do not mind when you sleep here. I am more than able to take care of myself, but when you are here I feel more secure. It is irrational, but your presence inspires feelings of safety and security … I know you will protect me._

Booth was awed by his partner's words and trust in him. After arriving at work he was mortified to discover Cam had emailed him the footage of the Hoddgins, the junior squints and him on Joy Juice. How embarrassing that 4 grown men had been reduced to idiocy by sugar and caffeine, while a teenage boy was completely unaffected just as the drink's creator had been. He had been petrified of what _Bones'_ reaction was, when he realized the most recent journal update had been made last night after she'd taken him back to her apartment. All she'd told him this morning about his behavior was that he should "monitor if sugar and caffeine intake" and that "based on my observations yesterday it is unwise for you to ingest large amounts of them together".

It was definitely time to do something nice for _his_ Bones. Taking care of him yesterday, without making fun of him. Letting him sleep the whole night through with his head on her lap and most of all for not running when he said _I love you_. Yep, time to do something special for her. _Maybe there is something in here about her mother … something that will remind her of a happy memory._ Booth thought as he scrolled through a number of entries, before finding what he was looking for.

_Journal, _

_It's the anniversary of my mother's death today. It has me thinking about visiting the grave again, I am aware that my mother wouldn't recognize my presence at the grave site, since her soul is long gone, and she is conscious of nothing. I am reluctant to admit it, but the last time I went there, despite my discomfort, I did come away feeling like a burden had been lifted. _

_This particular day has me reminiscing about childhood memories, regarding my mother. I recall a particular event in my life, when my mother took Russ and I on a carriage ride, along the beach, it was a most stimulating experience. I would even consider enjoying a similar event in the future. It was one of the rare memories of my mother that I can recall. The event had a rather big impact on her, I assume, or else I wouldn't remember it so vividly. _

Practically before he was finished reading the entry, Booth was on the phone to an old army buddy to cash in a favor. If his Princess enjoyed a carriage ride with her mother and thought she might like to do it again, he'd make sure she did. It took some doing, but Booth managed to get everything arranged for that Friday night.

* * *

_Hey guys there's a poll up on my author page please check it out and cast your vote on whether or not Brennan should find out Booth has been reading her journal and what her reaction should be. We can't wait to hear what you all think._


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us! To all of those of you who review anonymously thank you for taking the time to send us your thoughts, we try to respond to all reviews personally so please accept our gratitude for your time! _

_**A/N 3: **__ Happy holidays to all of those who celebrate and all that you celebrate, may peace, friendship, joy and happiness be with all of you and your families!_

_**A/N 4: **__A personal note to all of you loyal readers who've requested longer chapters, we just finished working on a chapter that will probably appear somewhere in the 40s (chapter numbers not time period, although that could be fun), but this chapter tops over 3000 words and the chapters surrounding it will probably fall into the 2000 or better word range. Hang in there we promise they'll get longer and even more emotional._

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

The case had the Jeffersonian on edge other than identifying the drink used to hide the chemicals that had killed Marie, there hadn't been any progress. Frustration suffocated the lab now, like it had during the Gravedigger cases. Angela was beyond impatient. The lack of progress was unbearable at least with the Gravedigger they'd been able to do something. _How can someone get away with killing a young girl who'd already suffered so much? It just isn't fair! Marie didn't deserve to die and now we're the only people who seem to care about her … some scientists and FBI agent and one friend._

Hodgins found a very worked up Angela pacing her office like a caged animal. _Uh oh, this can't be good._ "Ange sweetie, what's up?" Hodgins asked his antsy wife.

"It isn't right! How can anyone treat a child like that! Find the b-st-rd and give me five minutes alone with him and he'll never hurt anyone again!" Angela ranted as though no one could hear her, rubbing her rounded belly. "I won't let anything happen to you little one. Someone comes near you Uncle Studly will shoot 'em, Daddy will bury the evidence; Aunty Tempe will beat the crap out of them… we'll keep you safe I promise!" Angela continued pacing talking to her belly.

_Okay, so not good, pregnant wife ranting and pacing._ Thought Hodgins as he approached his wife slowly, still not sure she knew he was in the room with her. He cautiously slid an arm around her waist drawing her close to him, trapping the swollen belly between them. "We are going to find her killer, Angela, I promise."

"You can't sure of that," she denied trying to resist his embrace. Hodgins held tight. "People get away with it. We don't solve EVERY case, as hard as we try."

"We'll solve this one," he assured her.

"How can you be sure?" she asked laying a hand on his shoulder.

He smiled knowingly. "Because we have a soon-to-be-mother who will stop at nothing to make sure that happens, and a husband who believes that his wife can do anything. Booth and Dr. B are in this too, and Cam… and Sweets… we have a whole team of intelligent people to find out what happened. You think one person is smarter than all of us?" he challenged.

"No," Angela pondered. "I guess not."

Hodgins nodded. _I didn't really think she'd listen to me_, he thought silently. _I can beat the hormone ranting of a pregnant woman. Good for me_. He gently stroked his wife's cheek with his thumb. "Have you eaten dinner?"

Angela blushed and shook her head. She had been far too busy thinking about the sadistic world of pain that she was bringing her child into. "Not yet," she confessed.

"Okay," he took her hand and led her out of the office. "We can go grab a bite to eat, feed the little one, and go home and rest."

Angela would have liked to stay and be of assistance where needed, but there wasn't much else she could do tonight, and she reluctantly followed her husband out of the Jeffersonian.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us! To all of those of you who review anonymously thank you for taking the time to send us your thoughts, we try to respond to all reviews personally so please accept our gratitude for your time! _

_**A/N 3: **__ Happy holidays to all of those who celebrate and all that you celebrate, may peace, friendship, joy and happiness be with all of you and your families!_

_**A/N 4: **__A personal note to all of you loyal readers who've requested longer chapters, we just finished working on a chapter that will probably appear somewhere in the 40s (chapter numbers not time period, although that could be fun), but this chapter tops over 3000 words and the chapters surrounding it will probably fall into the 2000 or better word range. Hang in there we promise they'll get longer and even more emotional._

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile, Brennan was lost in her thoughts and haunted by Booth's words. Her fingers flying over the keyboard at a pace only a writer could appreciate. It was almost as though her soul was pouring through her hands into the keys, only to reform in words on her computer screen.

_Journal_

_I can't get what you said out of my thoughts. "It's his way of saying you remind him of her and letting you know you're family. Pops has adopted you Bones." I don't understand … why? Why would he want me? Why would anyone want me?_

_I'm so confused. This case has me … oh what's the expression … knotted up. I'm trying to compartmentalize. To focus on the case and nothing else, but this time it's so difficult. It hasn't been like this since I thought you were dead. And we found out Zach was working with Gormogon. _

_I know it's not rational, but this case is releasing so many emotions I find I'm unable to process them._

Brennan stopped and leaned back in her chair, staring blankly at the computer screen. She felt lost. This wasn't how she operated, it wasn't how she dealt with cases, and situations, and people. Brennan was always solid, she knew what she was doing and where she was going, but this particular week was causing her to feel out of place.

She didn't like it.

_Journal,_

_I haven't thought about belonging to a family since my childhood… since my parent's disappearance, and Russ' abandonment. I have been on my own so long, I'm not sure I'm capable of knowing how to be anything but independent. I guess that's why I found it so difficult when you suggested a relationship between us, that and fear of change, I'm sure. _

_I like having the evidence in hand. I like knowing why, how and what it is. When I don't have solid footing, I feel lost, much like I am now. Not knowing what's going to happen to me… or what direction my life might take. It scares me, Booth, it strikes fear in my heart, metaphorically speaking of course. _

_Even belonging to a family… your family, it frightens me. It could all be taken away without warning, without hesitation, and I would be alone again. I'm not sure I know how to live without you now, which only confuses me further since independence is one of my strong points. _

Brennan saved the document and switched off the computer.

"Bones!" the familiar voice called out.

Brennan snapped her head up and looked through the door, just in time to see Booth approaching her office.

"Hey," he greeted. "Thought I might find you here…"

Brennan noticed his body language was slightly off. He looked nervous.

"I have a surprise for you…" he announced shoving his hands deep into his pant pockets.

Brennan's heart quickened.

He offered her his hand, and she watched him momentarily before she took it. He grinned as he led her out of the office, and out of the Jeffersonian building.

"Where are we going?" she laughed.

"You'll see," his lips were sealed.

Booth gave nothing away, as they climbed into his SUV and he drove them to the destination. Brennan insisted on being told what was happening, but Booth only laughed at her, shaking his head. "I don't want to ruin the surprise."

He ordered her to close her eyes, once he pulled the car up to the curb near the beach, and she reluctantly obeyed, curious about her surprise. He climbed out of the car, and went around to her side to open the door. Booth covered her eyes with his hand, and helped her step out of the car.

"I'm gonna trip," she insisted.

"I won't let anything happen to you, come on," he assured her. "Just take a big step… there we go. Keep your eyes closed." He allowed her to lean against him, fearful of tripping over, as he embraced an arm around her back as he led her towards the beach.

Once he reached the spot, he stopped, smiling at the surprise ahead of him, and looked to Brennan. She was smiling, as she kept her eyes closed, listening for a sign of something that might give her location away.

"You can open them now…" he announced moving his hand from her eyes.

Brennan blinked and met Booth's eyes. He pointed ahead of him, and she turned her eyes, to the surprise he had in store for her.

She gasped in obvious pleasure. "Booth…"

"Do you like it?" he asked nervously.

"A horse and carriage?" she cried. "It's… Booth, I don't- I don't understand…" she looked back at him, tearing her eyes away from the white horse attached to the carriage on the path of the beach. It reminded her so much of the experience she enjoyed when she was a child. "Why did you do this?"

He shrugged easily. "I just wanted to… does there have to be a reason."

Brennan laughed. "I guess not."

"Well come on," he insisted. "Let's take you for a ride…"

Brennan allowed him to lift her onto the carriage, and he stepped up, taking his place beside her. The coachman in the front, who was dressed presentably in a tuxedo, directed the horse up the beach, keeping him on the path.

Brennan looked at Booth, meeting his eyes. "This is absurd," she said.

"In a good way?" he raised an eyebrow knowing her thought pattern was unique.

She nodded with reassurance. "Yes. My mother once took Russ and I on a carriage ride just like this when we were younger."

Booth pretended it was the first time he had heard that. "Really? And you enjoyed it?"

"Yes, I did. It was a rather interesting experience," she answered recalling the memories of her earlier years.

He nodded looking pleased with the turn out. All he wanted to do was make her happy. "I'm glad you like it."

"I'm speechless, Booth… I don't know what to say?"

He shook his head. "Don't say anything, just enjoy it."

He reached across the carriage for her hand, and she allowed him to take it, molding her fingers to his as she looked out to the water, thoroughly enjoying the ride, and occasionally glancing over at Booth, in awe of the many surprises he came up with to make her smile. She was overwhelmed with emotion for him then, and felt her heart quicken when he looked over at her and smiled.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us! To all of those of you who review anonymously thank you for taking the time to send us your thoughts, we try to respond to all reviews personally so please accept our gratitude for your time! Just a few more reviews and alerts and we'll reach 100 reviews and 100 alerts that would be such a lovely way to start the new year! Thank you all for making a first time fan fiction writer and an established fan fiction writer feel so welcome!  
_

_**A/N 3: **__ Happy holidays to all of those who celebrate and all that you celebrate, may peace, friendship, joy and happiness be with all of you and your families!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

"Mom took me to the arcade to play video games," Parker explained telling his dad and Brennan of the previous day's events. His face lit up, as he enlightened them on his activities.

"It sounds like you had a blast, Bud."

Booth, Parker and Brennan sat

"Yeah," he nodded. "Maybe we can go soon…"

Booth smiled. "Sure, Parks sounds like fun."

Parker looked at Brennan. "What did you do yesterday?"

"Well," Brennan smiled remembering her own special event. "I did some work in the morning in the Lab, and then your dad took me on a carriage ride along the beach. It was very exciting," she told him.

Parker looked over at his father. "How come you didn't let me come too? I never went on a horse and carriage…" his face expression showing slight disappointment.

"This was just something special for Bones, mate. Besides, you wouldn't have wanted to miss out on all the games at the arcade, would you?" he reasoned.

Parker thought about it. "Nuh," he smiled. "I don't think so."

"Why don't you finish up that milkshake, bud, so we can go to park and kick the footy!"

Parker nodded excitedly, and put his lips to his straw, draining the rest of his drink. Parker loved playing football in the park with his dad, any chance he got, and it was even more exciting when there was someone else to add to the game.

"Do you know how to play?" Parker asked Brennan as they walked the few blocks from the diner.

"I understand the concept of the game, but no, I have never subjected myself to playing the sport," she told him.

"Dad and I can teach you," he suggested.

Brennan almost declined the offer, but saw the look of excitement in the child's eyes, she adored Parker. How could she say no? The child was so easily pleased.

"Sure," she agreed.

He jumped up and down on the spot as they reached the grass. Parker snatched the football from his father's grasp and ran ahead with it.

Booth turned to Brennan and smiled. "Kids, huh?"

"He's a sweet boy," she said.

"Yeah… he really likes you, you know."

"The feelings mutual," she nodded.

"DAD!" Parker screamed from across the way. "COME ON!"

Booth glanced at his son and grinned. He sure was lucky to have such a good kid.

"Coming," he called back. He looked back at Brennan. "You ready to get slaughtered?"

"If you are referring to the concept of me possibly losing this game of football, you are sadly mistaken. I am sure I can beat you at a game of football," she insisted.

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow. "Come on then, Bones show me what you're made of."

Brennan nodded more to herself than to him, and without warning began running towards Parker. "Come on, Booth, you're a little slow," she called behind her.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us! To all of those of you who review anonymously thank you for taking the time to send us your thoughts, we try to respond to all reviews personally so please accept our gratitude for your time! _

_**A/N 3: **__ Happy holidays to all of those who celebrate and all that you celebrate, may peace, friendship, joy and happiness be with all of you and your families!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

In the Jeffersonian Brennan saw Booth enter, and dropped what she was doing to approach him. "I'm sorry that you feel so inadequate Booth…" Brennan grinned teasingly.

"I don't feel inadequate," he denied pouting evidently. He was sulking.

"I can understand how your ego might have been theoretically bruised, by the fact that you were thrashed in a game of manly sport, by a woman, but-"

"Bones, let it go!" he snapped.

He walked away, but she followed him, more than happy to rub in the fact that she had beaten him at his own game, in the park over the weekend. It was an exhilarating feeling to experience a win over the alpha male, despite the blow he had to his ego.

"Booth, I think it's customary to congratulate one on a win," she smiled clearly enjoying herself, as he squirmed uncomfortably trying to run from her.

Angela came around the corner, instantly depicting the expressions on their faces. Usually it was the other way around, Booth had said something to upset Brennan and she was pulling a face of disapproval. Apparently, they had swapped roles for the day, Angela was amused.

"What's with you two?" she asked.

Booth squirmed.

"He's feeling inadequate because I happen to beat him in a game of football over the weekend."

Booth rolled his eyes. "You know there is such a thing as being a _sore winner_."

Angela smiled watching the scene play out.

"I find that nonsensical," she replied easily. "I think that is reserved for those who don't appreciate losing so much, and in order to feel better about their status for the game, they blame the one who wins referring to them as, what did you call me, a _tender winner_."

"_Sore_, Bones, as in _sore loser_."

Brennan shrugged. "Whatever."

Booth shook his head and walked away.

Angela giggled beside her friend. She would have liked to see her favorite partner duo playing a game of football. Too bad she missed it.


	33. Chapter 33

Hey guys sorry if you're upset that this isn't a new chapter, but I thought I'd send a quick gift to anyone who's interested. The recipe for **Joy Juice**__is now on my profile page. If you have any questions feel free to ask, and no for the record I've never figured out how to make a small batch of it, as the original recipe (the one I posted is the small batch) when I eye ball things I usually end up with 4 gallons of concentrate. I do know people who freeze the concentrate slightly diluted in Popsicle stick makers and adore a very special frozen treat. Have fun! Enjoy! Happy Holidays!


	34. Chapter 34

**Just a quick repost to fix a typo sorry for the mistake, thank you jsiebert for catching my mistake.**

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**A/N 3:**__ Special thanks to __**Legolas Skies **__for checking over the conversation between Booth and Father Thomas_ _and making sure that all our Catholic references were correct!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

The rain thundered against the roof like the hoof beats of an army of hell spawns. Brennan shuddered; it was nights like this that the memories were difficult to compartmentalize. It was like the world was closing in around you and there was nowhere to escape. Desperate for a distraction Brennan booted up her laptop and hoped the power would hold.

_Journal,_

_This case is difficult. I find myself wondering if we will ever find justice for Marie. She endured so much during her short life, only to be thrown out like she was rubbish, nothing more than an item, which had been used and discarded. There seems to be no justice for her … I want to bring her killer to justice._

_The lights are flickering due to the storm. I hate the dark … more so than snakes. Darkness reminds me of the car trunk and being trapped with Hoddgins. It isn't rational, but I find that I have trouble staying rational when I am surrounded by darkness. I keep a candle lit in my room at night so that the darkness is kept at bay. The only times the darkness does not affect me is when I am sharing a room with you. Angela mentioned something about me being afflicted by a candle fetish. She even kept a flameless candle in her spare room and a myriad of candles in the en suit bathroom, when I stayed over._

_Achluophobia is irrational I know it is, but that doesn't make it more manageable. Rationally I know that I am safe, but much like my claustrophobia, clithrophobia and ophidiophobia what I know rationally has little effect on how I feel._

Just then a loud clap of thunder reverberated off the walls of the building, burying the world in darkness. Brennan's hands trembled as she lit the candles scattered around her living room. Her breathing becoming more ragged as the minutes passed.

She wished Booth was here.

**B & B**

Meanwhile in his apartment Booth's gut was going crazy. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was wrong. Every fiber of his being was screaming at him that _his _Bones needed him right now. Just then a clap of thunder, pulsed, ripping through the air like Hoddgin's explosion ripped through the earth when he and Brennan were trapped in the buried car by the gravedigger, plunging the apartment into total darkness. In an instant Booth grabbed his coat and was out the door, without even considering the safety of driving in a power outage. There was only one thing on his mind getting to _Bones_ as soon as possible.

Twenty excruciating minutes later a soaked Booth was standing outside Brennan's door dripping on the floor. His hand posed to knock when the door flew open and a rumpled blur collided with him nearly knocking him to the ground.

"Bones?" Booth asked staring down at the lovely woman sprawled across his chest.

"Booth?"

"Yeah, it's me." He answered with a smile brushing her hair out of her face. "Where were you headed in such a hurry?"

"You're wet."

"It's raining out."

"What are you doing here?"

"Uhh … checking on you." He mumbled

"Why?" She asked so quietly Booth wouldn't have heard if she hadn't been on his chest.

"Do you mind if we go in your apartment first, Bones?" Booth stalled trying to think of the right way to explain things to _Bones_ without getting his butt kicked.

The partners disentangled themselves and found their way onto Brennan's couch. Booth held Brennan's hand as he flashed back to a conversation he'd had with his priest Father Thomas after confession last week.

"_Seeley Booth you've spent nearly the last seven years confessing to all kinds of things when it comes to your partner. A little over a year ago you walked in here looking almost as broken up as you did when you returned from Afghanistan the first time, talking about how you couldn't face life without Bones and had to move on. The next thing I know you're headed off to war to escape your life. Seven months later you return prancing around like some cartoon character shouting at the top of your lungs about how "happy" you are and how much you loved that blond girl. Never once during that whole fiasco did you smile even a quarter as much as you do every time you mention your Bones. By the way what in the world is with you calling that lovely lady Bones?" Father Thomas rushed on almost without taking a breath. The old priest had had it and decided it was high time to set Seeley Booth straight, even he had grown tired of the Booth/Bones show. After seeing the way that lovely lady had looked and listened to Seeley on Sunday Father Thomas had come to the conclusion that those two kids belonged together._

"_It's just our thing." Booth said despite knowing how lame an answer it was._

"_So, let me get this straight. Somehow your lady's journal has been emailed to you and now you get updates every time she writes in it?"_

"_Yes, father. I just don't know what to do I feel guilty for reading it, but my gut keeps telling me to read." Booth confessed his head hung in shame at the way he was invading his best friend's privacy._

_Father Thomas took a minute before he decided to follow his heart and guide Seeley. His eyes landed on the comforting glow of the prayer candles, knowing Seeley had likely lit three of them: one for his son Parker, one for his Grandfather, and one for his lady Bones, who young Seeley clearly loved with every fiber of his being. The fragrance of alert incense still clinging to the air, reminding Father Thomas that in everything the Holy Father had a master plan … a purpose for everything under heaven, and there was a reason the journals were flooding young Seeley's email right now._

"_Seeley, normally I would strongly discourage you from invading someone's privacy and reading their journal. Something like that is almost always wrong, but it seems to me there is a master plan at work in this case. Invading her privacy is wrong, but God has a purpose for everything. Perhaps God sent you these journals for a reason. Just be sure that you act the way the Lord would want you to and help this woman. You love that woman dearly it was clear as the nose on your face that the two of you are meant to be together … even the Sisters were commenting on it Sunday after mass. Be very careful, but help that lovely lady find the peace she deserves. Show her what love is, but make sure you are honest with her. Peace be with you, my child!" Father Thomas said as he crossed himself leaving Booth to consider his words._

Taking a deep breath Booth took Father Thomas' advice. "Bones my gut has been screaming at me all night that you needed me. Then when the power went out the sound of the thunder reminded me of when you and Hoddgins were buried by the gravedigger. I couldn't not come. I had to see for myself that you were alright. I just had to…" Booth confessed softly, unsure of how _his_ Bones would react to his confession.

* * *

_**A/N:**__ I'm sure some of you are wondering so here's a breakdown on the phobias_

_Ophidiophobia = fear of snakes_

_Clithrophobia = fear of being enclosed_

_Claustrophobia = fear of confined spaces_

_Achluophobia = fear of darkness_


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

Booth waited almost afraid he'd said too much and that now he'd driven _his _Bones to run away once again. His heart was in his throat not sure he would survive losing the woman he loved with all his soul for a second time. Brennan's reaction shocked Booth more than anything else ever had before. Her eyes became slightly wild with fright before she schooled her features as another sickening clap of thunder ripped through the air. Her hand snaked across the distance between them and latched onto Booth's. Booth wasn't even sure she realized she'd reached for him in her moment of panic, but it was enough for him to see the truth. Wordlessly he slid over to her and wrapped his arm around her, drawing _his _Bones into his chest.

"I've got you. I'm right here Bones. I'm not going anywhere." Booth's words caressed her shaken soul.

Time seemed to tick by as the storm raged on outside. Booth simply enjoyed being able to hold _his_ Bones and offer her comfort without worrying about her running from him. He offered soothing words of comfort and occasionally dropped a soft feather kiss onto her head. Brennan seemed almost unaware of the world around her, her body shuddering slightly with each deafening echo of nature, unconscious of the fact she seemed to burrow into Booth.

Booth for his part didn't push things completely aware of the rare gift he was being offered, but devastated at the cost that it came by for _his_ Bones. The strong woman he loved seemed completely lost in haunting memories. He silently vowed to hold her for as long as she would allow and make sure she never had to endure another storm alone. Reaching up he grabbed a throw from her couch and wrapped it around them.

Several hours later when the storm finally blew itself out, Brennan blinked and drew back from Booth's embrace. Almost like waking up from a deep sleep Brennan took in her surrounds as the lights blinked on and the soft purr of the refrigerator restarting.

"You're wet." She stated as if nothing had happened, Booth knew her well enough to take the cue and follow her lead.

"Yeah, I got caught in the storm."

"I still have some of your things here. I put them in the guest room."

Booth's mind flashed back to a particularly messy case a while back, which involved several threats against her, resulting in his crashing at her place to protect her. Shuddering at the thought of her in danger, Booth reveled in the idea that _his _Bones had washed his clothes and left them in the guest room as though marking a space in her home for him. Stretching out the kinks in his sore body Booth stood up, running his fingers through his still damp hair.

"Dry clothes would be nice." He said with a smile.

"I'll make coffee." Was Brennan's only response as she turned her back and fled into the kitchen in an attempt to gain some emotional distance.

Booth took his cue from Brennan and walked down the hall to change, hoping that she wouldn't run from the situation. Something had shifted during the storm, what it was exactly Booth wasn't entirely sure, but it felt positive … frightening and new, but in a good way.

* * *

_**A/N: **Well guys we're almost to the end _**_stevieLUVSAlex _**_have been writing up a storm and we have chapters 33 thru (if my count isn't off) 47 or so by the end of the week it may be 50 written. Why am I telling all of you this? Well, the next week or two may be fairly wild where I am I have furniture being delivered and two kids to cage safely while I set everything up, ahh motherhood. My lovely co-author is experiencing some extreme weather in the region she lives in so contact may be sporadic, please keep everyone experiencing difficulties in your thoughts and hearts. I am a firm believer in the powers of positive thinking and sometimes an overwhelming flood of positive energy can improve bad situations. Our positive thoughts for all of you are happiness, joy, peace, tranquility, and hope! I'm gonna make a push to get chapters 33-36 posted between this week and next so if it's a week or so before I post after that you've got something to tide you over. Blessed Be to all of you!_**_  
_**


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

Brennan was sitting in her office the next day trying to come to terms with what had happened during the storm. Her mind was working a hundred miles a minute, but her emotions still seemed to overwhelm her. Unsure of how to deal with things, Brennan resorted to her old standby. She opened up a familiar file on her computer and began typing … free writing without even paying attention to what she was typing.

_Journal_

_Being disturbed by the storm last night to the point that I almost went running out to find you was completely irrational. I don't understand what is going on. _

_You came looking for me … your gut told you, I needed you._

_How did you know?_

_I had a dream last night that you held me through the storm. That you kissed me. I felt so safe in your arms._

_Did that really happen or was it just a dream?_

_I remember you hugging me and you were soaking wet. How long did you hug me? How long was it? _

_One minute you were talking and the next thing I know I'm wet too. How long was it?_

_Did you really hold me? Did you kiss my head? Did you rub my back? Did you hold me through the whole storm?_

_It was storming when you arrived at my apartment and the next thing I remember the storm was over the electricity had been restored. What happened? When did the storm end?_

Brennan was hardly aware of what she was typing. Her words poured out, tumbling over each other grasping for purchase on the computer screen. It was like someone had punched a small hole in her soul and now all of her hidden emotions were pouring out drowning Brennan in emotional baggage she'd been suppressing since before her parents and Russ left.

Her hands trembled as she typed. Deep breathe, after deep breathe sucked the air from the room. Brennan focused on rebuilding the emotional shields that had guarded her heart before Booth stormed into her life. Journaling had become Brennan's coping mechanism when she stopped cutting and at this moment in time she needed it more than ever. Pouring everything she was feeling out onto the computer screen proved the release bloodletting use to it, allowing the emotions to bleed out of her system, restoring the calm and order she so desperately craved.

Half an hour later when Booth strolled into her office Brennan had managed to force her turmoil below the surface once again. She smiled at her partner, though Booth's sharp eyes didn't miss the fact that there was something almost childlike and haunted in her eyes for a split second, before it too was neatly suppressed by more controlled demeanor she utilized when dealing with field work.

"Hey Bones, I need to ask you a favor."

"Yes?" Brennan looked at Booth as he stared at his shoes, scuffing the toe on the carpet.

"Parker … he uhh …" Booth was drawing things out deliberately drawing things out and trying to hide his smile. When Parker had called that morning begging Booth to ask _Dr. Bones_, the bestest and brightest person he knew to help him with his science fair project Booth knew what her answer would be, but he couldn't wait to ask.

Usually a reserved calm woman of science, Brennan was out of her chair and around her desk as soon as Parker's name exited her partner's mouth.

"What about Parker? Is everything alright?"

"Well …" Booth said finally meeting her eyes with his own twinkling coco orbs "he wants to know if _Dr. Bones_ will help him with an awesome science faire project. Apparently _Dr. Bones_ is the bestest, smartest person in the whole world! You're my son's favorite person." Booth had the goofiest smile on his face as he watched the smile reach all the way to his partner's eyes. _I think I'm jealous my son is completely taken with my Bones and from the looks of things the feeling is mutual._ Booth thought with a smile.

"I'd be happy to help Parker. He's a very intelligent young man! Does he know what he plans to use for his project?"

Chuckling Booth delivered his son's message "Parker's exact words were "_Dad I can't tell you! You're not a scientist … this is just for me and Dr. Bones, it's our secret."_ My own son won't tell me." Booth smiled.

Brennan found that amusing, and a smile settled on her own lips.

"Alright, Booth, I'll make arrangements with Parker to work on his science project, and you can be kept out of the ring," she grinned teasingly.

Booth laughed. "Its _loop_, Bones, out of the loop."

Brennan rolled her eyes and muttered something he couldn't hear, a smile still lingering.


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

"Bones," Booth poked his head around the corner, and caught her examining remains. It was Marie. Brennan glanced up, looking slightly annoyed.

"What is it, Booth?"

"I got a call from Cullen… he has a new lead for the Marie Jackson case," he told her.

Brennan gave him the attention he was looking for, and stripped off her gloves, placing them on the table, before she stepped off the platform to meet Booth on the floor. She stood before him, her arms folded, seemingly shy.

"What is it?" she asked.

He cleared his throat. "A young girl came in, claiming that she knows more about Marie than we do. Apparently she spied on her…" he explained. It was a far-fetched idea, but there wasn't much else they had to go on, the case was drifting further away, all they really knew were the bruises all over her body and the ill-health she suffered. As far as who did it, they were clueless.

Brennan rolled her eyes. "I don't have time to waste on childish antics, Booth!" she turned to leave him.

"We got nothing else, Bones, we may as well listen to her," he frowned. Brennan wasn't herself again, and he was beginning to worry that the old Brennan would disappear entirely soon enough. This case was wrecking havoc with everyone's emotions. Booth was determined to close it, and regain their sanity, if nothing else.

"Fine," she snapped.

Booth gave her the address to the girl's house, and they drove in silence, Booth watching the road, and Brennan looking out the window, looking extremely dazed. He wondered what she was thinking about, but he couldn't bring himself to ask.

A young blonde girl opened the door.

"Hello…" she greeted politely.

Booth flashed his badge, and recognition crossed the girl's face, her eyes dimming instantly.

"I'm Sam… I called about Marie…" she widened the door and stepped aside. "Do you want to come in?"

"Thank you," Booth said. "I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth, and this is Dr. Temperance Brennan," he introduced as the three of them moved through to the living room.

"Can I get you something to drink?" she offered.

"No," Brennan answered abruptly. "What do you know about Marie?"

Sam flopped down on the couch, a dark sadness crossing her eyes. She folded her arms across her chest and looked up at Booth. "I'm not popular!" she stated matter-of-factly.

"I don't see how your social status is relevant in this case-"

"Bones," he scolded. "Let her talk."

Brennan lowered herself to the couch, and sat back listening.

Sam spoke again, her head lowered, as she focused on a spot on the carpet. "Marie was pretty… she was smart and clever… she always had Puck with her. I felt so isolated… no one cared about me. I was on my own all the time. She was nice to me, I was a Klutz, and she- she helped me pick up my books one day. I liked her. I know that I must sound weird and creepy, but I just… she was so nice. I followed her sometimes, wishing that I was her real friend."

Brennan frowned. "The law calls that stalking," she snapped. "And it's illegal!"

"I didn't stalk her…" she denied defensively.

"It's alright, Sam," Booth encouraged. "Go on."

She smiled weakly. "I was walking the same way as her once, her house was near mine, and I… I watched her go into Saint Peter's church, and I followed her. I'm not religious, but Marie didn't seem that way either, from the outside. I snuck in," Sam shifted uncomfortably. "I heard arguing. Marie kept yelling at a priest, she called him Father Michaels, telling him that it was a sin, and she was dirty. I heard what they were talking about…" she waited for more encouragement.

Booth nodded, silently waiting.

"What were they talking about?" Brennan asked her voice softer and less abrupt than before.

"Alcohol. Marie wanted wine and Father Michaels kept saying no… but he wasn't angry at her because she wanted the wine, he was angry because she didn't want to…" her cheeks burned red.

"Wanted to what, Sam?" Booth asked gently.

"I saw him kissing her… and he held her down on the platform, and… he wanted to do… you know," she muttered embarrassingly.

"Sex… Are you talking about intercourse?" Brennan asked in her own blunt way.

Sam nodded.

"You're sure of this?" Booth asked sternly.

Sam nodded. "Yes. But she didn't want to, she kept saying no. I was so scared… I know I should have said something, but I screamed really loud and then ran out of the church."

"Did they hear you?" Booth asked.

"I think so," she answered shyly. "I didn't stay to find out. I just heard Marie gasp and tell him that she heard someone…"

"Why did it take you this long to come forward?" Brennan questioned.

She fidgeted with her hands. "I was scared. Marie wasn't my friend or anything; she was just a nice girl. I kept thinking 'what if it were me' and I didn't want the person to go free."

"Did you see Father Michaels murder Marie?" Brennan asked pointedly.

She shook her head. "No."

Booth nodded. At least they had another lead, and while they may not have solved the murder, Sam had helped identify a pedophile. That was definitely something. It was a piece to the puzzle they hadn't before, who knew where it would lead.

"You did good, Sam. Thank you," he told her.

Sam nodded. Booth and Brennan excused themselves. They had a long day ahead of them, and an interview with a priest from Saints Peter's church.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname **stevieLUVSAlex**, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! **stevieLUVSAlex **and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much **stevieLUVSAlex**, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

**_A/N 3: _**_ This chapter contains references to rape and assault by a member of the church this is by no means meant as an attack against the church. It is however based on my personal experience with several members of "church" that sadly the experiences depicted in this story as well as many others do happen. If you would prefer to skip this chapter just keep in mind the priest is not the killer, just the rapist and his actions do have a direct effect on reason Marie was killed._

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

"Father Michaels?" Booth addressed.

The man in the white collar looked up, slightly stunned to have a man calling his name. He had thought he was alone in the church. "Yes," he answered skeptically. "Who are you?"

Booth stepped forward, Brennan dragging closely behind.

Booth flashed his badge at the priest and shoved it back in his jacket pocket. "Special Agent Seeley Booth of the FBI and this is my partner Temperance Brennan," he offered.

"The writer?" the priest eyes lingered on Brennan, making Booth instantly uncomfortable.

"Yes," Brennan answered.

"Wow… what did I do to earn the privilege of being questioned by a best-selling author?" he smiled looking pleased as his eyes continued to watch Brennan.

"Rumor has it that you know Marie Jackson," Booth asked bluntly trying to revert this attention away from his partner. Booth knew what this man was, and the idea that he was looking at Brennan, made the blood in his veins boil. He was holding his temper well… for now at least.

Father Michaels turned his attention to Booth, and pretended to think. "Marie Jackson," he repeated. "No. I don't think so."

His body language was screaming out liar. His eyes were dodging in all directions, and his feet were constantly shifting from one to the other. Booth could even see the beads of sweat beginning to form across his forehead.

"Are you sure about that?" Booth pushed.

"Quite sure," the priest nodded. "What is this regarding?"

"Murder!" Brennan stated matter-of-factly.

The shock on the priests face was almost convincing.

"She's dead…" he gasped.

"You act as if you know her" Brennan challenged.

Father Michaels lowered his head in obvious shame. "I did."

"And you killed her too?" Booth questioned.

"No," he cried looking up. "I would never hurt her. She was an angel."

Brennan looked to Booth for help. She wasn't sure where to take the interrogation from here. This was his area of expertise.

"An angel as in…" Booth's voice trailed off as he looked up.

"No, Agent Booth… she was a delight of a girl. Very sweet…"

"You know all about that, don't you?" he shot back bitterly as the image of him touching the girl came to his mind. If anyone had dared to touch his child, they would have been dog meat.

"I don't know what you're referring to," Father Michaels said innocently.

"We spoke to someone, who saw you touching HER!" he shot back.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he repeated.

"You want to make it difficult, fine, let's go down to the Hoover… and have ourselves a chat…" he suggested.

Father Michaels shifted his feet.

"I'd rather not, if you don't mind."

"I do," Booth stated. He pulled out his hand cuffs and in one swift move shoved the priest's hands behind his back and cuffed him. He groaned in pain. "Shut up!" Booth hissed pushing him towards the door.

In the interrogation room some time later, Booth paced the room as he questioned the man at the table.

"You touched Marie Jackson…" he accused.

"No I didn't," the man denied.

"Not what we heard. We heard from a reliable source that you pinned her to the platform while she pleaded for you to stop… she also wanted a beer that you wouldn't let her have."

"Alcoholic beverages are not appropriate to be drinking when you are distressed. Marie was distressed."

"Of course she was," he replied. "You were raping her."

"I did NO such thing. That's ludicrous! I am a man of God."

Booth trembled with rage. "Listen to me, you piece of crap, I don't care too much for you, and right now God is condemning you to hell for what you did… so why don't you just admit that you crossed the line and you raped that girl, more than once, over and over…" he barked.

Father Michaels shook his head. "No. I didn't do it."

Brennan looked through the two-way mirror, an idea springing to mind.

"So you wouldn't be surprised to know that someone is out there as we speak, telling in detail what they saw in the church…" she challenged.

The priest's face turned white, and his eyes moved toward the mirror as if he expected to see someone. He looked back at Brennan.

"Is that true?" Father Michaels pressed.

Booth shrugged playing along with Brennan's idea. "If I were you, I'd start talkin'…"

His eyes shot down to his hands, examining them closely, as if he expected to find the answers there. "Marie came to me once… she was talking about her mother… she was distressed and angry, and hurt…"

"And you took advantage of her?" Booth accused.

Brennan stood back and listened.

"It wasn't like that," Father Michaels denied. "We talked… she came by a lot. She confided in me, and we built a solid relationship. We loved each other."

"So it was consensual?" Booth asked rolling his eyes.

"Yes," he answered.

"You're a man of God… how could you betray him that way?"

"I had a moment of weakness."

"But it wasn't a one of anything it was on-going… you said yourself, you loved her."

"I did."

"So then how could it be a moment of weakness?"

The man shifted in his seat.

"STOP LYING!" Booth growled. "You made your move, and she rejected you, and so you forced her MORE than once!"

"No…" he declined.

"Listen, Father…" he started.

"No," he shook his head. "I loved her. She said she cared about me, but she didn't, or else she would have known I was risking my soul for her."

"But you had to have her anyway, you had to have whatever you wanted, and you took it. You RAPED her."

"Yes, okay… I did. But she made it she wanted me first."

"And that drove you mad? You got angry, and killed her."

Father Michaels shook his head again. "I didn't kill her. I loved her. I would never have hurt her."

He was stubbornly sticking to his story.

"Either way, you're going to prison, you sick piece of crap! GET UP! You are under arrest for the rape of Marie Jackson…" the priest stood from the chair and Booth came around to cuff him. "You have the right to remain silent anything you say…"

Brennan nodded looking pleased at least to have some kind of justice for Marie, but she wasn't quite finished yet. She would find out who killed her, even if it took every available source and every fiber of strength she had. She'd find out who did it, and she wouldn't give up until she did.


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

Brennan sat at her desk, her hands trembling as she pulled up the familiar file entitled JOURNAL, and added a new page. This day had been overly horrific, not just for her own emotional well-being, but there was a fairly big break in their case, which opened a new can of worms regarding Marie's life. Her fingers typed away at the keyboard, as she poured out her emotions concerning this new-found information.

_Journal, _

_I feel sick. Today we had a breakthrough in Marie's case. You and I stumbled upon new information about a priest she had been seeing in the church, based on Sam's lead. I am grateful for that._

_The man was sick. How he could defend himself by trying to convince us that he loved her enough. That her initial want, if that statement was in fact true, made it right, made it okay for him to lay his dirty hands on her… I can't bear to think about what Marie went through. I understand it, Booth, more than I care to. I understand what horrors lay beneath the surface of Marie's charade. The façade she put out for other people, that was not what she felt, or who she was, but what she was trying to hide. _

_She was ashamed. _

_In case like this, religion baffles me even more. How can one claim to be a lover of God and be so cruel to human beings, and call that love? I don't believe in God, but if I did, this would destroy my faith for certain. The only thing I know I have sure faith in, is you, Booth. You never let me down. But I won't understand how you manage to keep your faith so intact when men of religion behave in such a horrendous way. _

_I want justice for Marie. I hope I find it. _

She saved the document and shut down her computer, leaning back in the swivel chair and closing her eyes. She would have liked to gotten to know Marie in person, in the flesh, alive and well. She would have liked to share some words of wisdom with the girl, to let her know there were others in the world that both understand and shared her pain. She would have liked to tell Marie that over time there was a way to shut it out, at least momentarily, when the right type of friend came along.

Brennan was sure that Puck was her _Booth_. He had the power to take away the pain, and remind her that there were human beings in the world that were capable of showing love, instead of abuse. A man like Puck, a man like Booth, both of whom would risk their lives to save those of someone he loved. Brennan didn't doubt that, not for a second.

"Hey," Booth smiled poking his head into her office.

Brennan smiled when she saw his face, feeling the truth of her emotions.

"I came bearing gifts," he grinned holding up a take-out bag, as he stepped into the room. "Chinese. I thought it might be nice to just relax, take your mind off the case. It was a big day."

Brennan nodded. "Yeah, it was."

"Hungry?"

"Yes, I'm rather hungry," she replied. She hadn't realized how much until she smelt the aroma of cuisine. Booth dropped the food on her desk, and she began to sift through the boxes, to see what he had ordered.

"What have you been doing?" he asked casually.

Brennan felt her cheeks flush slightly. "Um… working on my book," she lied.

"How's it coming along?"

"Good," she answered.

"Good. Let's dig in, I'm starving."

He winked at her as he reached across her to retrieve a pair of chopsticks.

**B & B**

Booth wasn't the kind of man to call his partner a liar, but something about Brennan's comment about working on her book at dinner had set off Booth's spider sense. Sure enough when he booted up his computer the time stamped JOURNAL update noticed proved the lovely Temperance to be a liar. However the open honesty of her written confession cut through him like a knife through butter. His amazing partner had been through more than he ever wanted to imagine and yet her trust and faith in him hadn't wavered.

_Oh Bones, I don't know how I keep my faith some days either, but then I look over at you and I see this amazing miracle that God has gifted me with and I know as long as I have you and Parker that everything will be alright. _With the images of the two most important people in his life, Bones and Parker, Booth drifted off to sleep.

It had been a rough day, but tomorrow was Saturday and things would be better. They might not have found Marie's killer yet, but he'd be able to spend tomorrow with his two favorite people, even if they wouldn't let him in on their science project.


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname **stevieLUVSAlex**, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! **stevieLUVSAlex **and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much **stevieLUVSAlex**, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Still unable to claim Bones as my own._

* * *

Booth spent his Saturday watching Brennan and Parker work meticulously on Parker's science fair project. They had refused to let him in the bone room with them, but after lunch they'd finally agreed to work on the platform as long as he stayed in the lounge area. Parker didn't quite realize that that small concession would allow his father to see his science fair project, but Brennan had caught on and remarkably she'd taken pity on Booth claiming that the lighting would help with the project.

Booth stared on with amazement at his best friend, a woman who claimed she was no good with children and that children didn't like her interacting with his son who practically worshiped the ground she walked on. There was his super logical partner helping his son construct a full human skeleton from clay. Apparently while he'd been banished to Brennan's office that morning the pair had molded the bones themselves and now they were working on attaching them together. His lovely partner wasn't doing the project for Parker either, nope she was helping him. She held the bones steady and talked Parker through threading the needles the bones to connect them together. She'd prompt him to identify the bone by name and type, praising him for correct answers and encouraging him. When he was wrong she gently corrected him and offered hints for retaining the information.

It was during moments like this that Booth had trouble seeing the line that divided him and Brennan. There was Brennan standing on the platform laughing with his son and treating him like her own child. She treated him like he was the center of her universe and Parker ate it up. Booth's mind drifted back to the conversation he'd had with his son on the way to pick up Brennan for breakfast.

"_Hey Dad are you dating Dr. Bones?"_

"_No, Parks she my best friend."_

"_Oh, ok."_

"_Parks?"_

"_Well, Dad if you're not gonna date her than I'm gonna marry her." Parker's voice firm and true, filled with childlike determination. "Dr. Bones is the coolest, smartest, prettiest person I know, so I'm gonna marry her. But, don't tell Mom I said Dr. Bones was prettier and smarter than her."_

Looking back at that moment Booth didn't know whether to be proud of his son or jealous. _Parks, if anyone is gonna marry Bones, it's gonna be me. _Booth thought with determination and for once some hope at the idea of a future with the woman he loved. Her journal had given him hope. _His_ Bones might have turned him down over a year ago, but now he understood her better. While she might doubt her capacity to love, Booth had absolutely no doubts about her ability to love. The woman joking with his son, kindly guiding him, encouraging and praising him that woman loved more deeply than anyone including himself gave her credit for.

Ruffling Parker's hair, Brennan looked up catching Booth's eye. Her partner seemed lost in his own thoughts, watching them. Brennan hoped Booth wasn't upset that she and Parker were spending so much time alone working on their project, during Booth's time with Parker. Booth's time with Parker was very limited and she was cutting into their time together even more.

Booth was startled to see her eyes shift from bright and excited, to subdued and a little sad. The knowledge he'd gained from reading her personal thoughts had heightened his awareness of her moods and the slight signs of her emotions. Something seemed to be dampening her mood and Booth decided it was his job to fix it. The thought that came to his mind had him smiling and rubbing his hands together in eager anticipation.

"Alright are my two favorite people getting hungry?" Booth called down leaning over the railing.

Parker turned to Brennan with a twinkle in his eye. "Dr. Bones we can go to dinner and you can be my date." Parker spoke with confidence and a very Boothy grin as he slipped his small hand into her hand, linking their fingers together. Casting an impish grin over his shoulder and a wink to Dr. Bones, Parker called out. "Sure Dad, you can join Dr. Bones and I on our date." _If his Dad and Dr. Bones couldn't figure things out on their own I'll just have to help them get sexed up. If that doesn't work … well I'll marry Dr. Bones myself._ Parker thought as he guided his date off the platform.

Booth was positively god smacked his thirteen year old son had just asked out _his _Bones! Strike that … the little rug rat hadn't even asked her … he told her! _Hey, that's my woman buddy, get your own!_ Booth thought as he took the stairs two at a time.

Brennan wasn't sure what to make of the situation either. She didn't want to hurt Parker's feelings and something told her that he would be very upset if he told her it was inappropriate for them to date. _The look on Booth's face was priceless and he would be there too, so maybe it would be alright for Parker to think this was a date. _ Brennan thought as the three of them headed off to dinner.

Parker decided he was going to use all his moves to make his Dad man up and finally admit that he loved Dr. Bones.

* * *

_Hi guys, I just thought I'd let all of you know that _**_stevieLUVSAlex _**_and I just finished writing the final few chapters we have approximately 15 more chapters to post. Hope you're enjoying this as much as we enjoyed writing it! Thank you all for reading and reviewing, every comment touches us._


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

_I swear the whole d-nm place seemed to be helping my SON date MY Bones. This is so wrong!_ Booth was trying his best to grin and bear it, but this was simply too much. Once Sid had caught on to the fact that Parker was on _DATE_ with Dr. Bones, he'd jumped to help the boy. Before Booth could say a word they'd been led to a booth at the back and Sid had lit freakin' candles and scrounged up some flowers for their table. _Whatever happened to the Sid that snarled at him for bringing in the squints to begin with and why was he helping his SON date my girl?_ _Oh, no Sid was going out of his way to HELP Parker. If Parks was on a first flippin' date with anyone else I'd be grateful Sid, but right now I'd like to throttle you_.

Not only had the trio been shown to a table in the back of Sid's, one the man swore was only for extremely special guests, but Sid and the waitresses were fawning over them. Brennan wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but Parker seemed to be quite pleased so she decided to flow with the river or whatever the phrase was that Booth and Angela were so fond of. Parker had pulled out Brennan's chair for her and then helped scoot it in behind her. He'd even been so bold as to brush a kiss on her cheek before he took his seat.

Booth flinched.

"So, Dr. Bones what made you want to study bones?" Parker asked resting his elbows on the table and his head in his hands as he leaned in to listen intently, before remembering what his mother said about elbows on the table. He flashed her, his best Booth-y charm smile before he sat up straight and leaned in again, this time without resting his elbows on the table.

"I've always wanted to understand the how's and why's of the world. You can learn so much from studying someone's bones, Parker."

"What could you tell from my bones?"

"I could determine your age from growth markers, the wear on your bones would indicate that you'd played sports and which ones. They would show that you were well nourished and healthy. They would indicate your race and genetic markers."

"You can tell all that from my bones?" The younger Booth was clearly as mesmerized as his father by the amazing Temperance Brennan.

Sid slid three plates in front of them and Booth nearly cracked up when he realized that his very carnivorous son had a vegetarian dinner. Booth leaned over to Sid "uh Sid, what made you pick that for Parks?" Booth asked filled with curiosity.

"Boy's trying to impress _his_ girl and she's a vegetarian, figured he'd try a veggie meal too." Sid said with a smirk before walking away. _Perhaps a little competition was just what Seeley needed to kick his a** into gear and stop dancing around the bone lady._ Sid thought as he made his way back to the bar.

Brennan was still a little unsure of how to handle things, but considering Booth hadn't jumped in yet this must be acceptable. Parker certainly was a charmer. She couldn't help smiling at the way Parker was eating his eggplant Parmesan. _What in the world made Sid make that for him?_ Parker usually got a cheeseburger or steak when they went to Sid's, but so far he hadn't said one word about his clearly meatless meal.

"Wow, Dr. Bones this is really good. How's your meal Dr. Bones?"

"Very good, Parker, thank you for asking." She smiled at both Booth boys, they really were quite charming.

Booth glanced across at his son, and watched him place the food into his mouth. He suppressed a smile as he saw his son flinch with distaste. He hated every forkful of his meal. _Oh, what a boy wouldn't do to impress a girl?_

He looked back to his Bones, and their eyes met across the table. She smiled at him, in that cute way she did that made his stomach flutter, he coerced a quick smile and looked away. As much as he would have liked the night to be about the two of them, locked in a world of their own, his son had managed to steal her attention first.

As the evening progressed …


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

"Dr. Brennan," Puck shouted, his voice echoing through the Jeffersonian building. "Dr. Brennan!" he sounded desperate.

Brennan stood from her desk, and poked her head out of the office. She met Puck's eyes across the room, and she saw that he was teary. Something was wrong. She didn't need a gut feeling to tell her that.

"Puck," she called.

He spun around to face her. He looked slightly relieved as he crossed the floor to where she stood. He waved a black book in Brennan's face. "I found this in her belongings. I found this!" the young boy was behaving irrationally.

Brennan frowned. It was times like this that she wished she could read people the way Booth did. Puck held out the book and ran a hand through his hand. She took the book from him.

"What is this?"

"It's Marie's diary," he announced. His shoulders dropped and his eyes looked sunken in. Puck looked dangerously close to tears, and Brennan instantly understood. She understood that whatever she was to read from this book, maybe significant enough to make another breakthrough in the case.

"I want justice!" Puck stated.

Brennan nodded. "Me too."

The boy stepped back. "I can't stay. I have to go…" there was desperation in Puck's voice that broke through his expression; anger seemed to boil to the surface, flashing across his face only for an instant before he turned and walked away.

She returned to her desk, with the diary in her hand. She sat down and opened the book to a random page.

_Dear diary, _

_She's at it again, telling me that I will never amount to anything, that my choice in friends is unacceptable. She doesn't like Puck. I hate that she doesn't like Puck, because he's important to me. He's there for me. She's not! I felt the blow across my leg, before I even realized what it was. It was a candlestick holder, one of those steel ones. It hurt like hell. _

_Sometimes I think she wants to control me, or every aspect of my life. I wonder if she is trying to live her own life again, through me. I don't know how to please her, and I try so hard. It's difficult to… _

The entry ended without finishing the sentence, which perked Brennan's curiosity. Brennan turned the next page, already eager to find out what happens next, like many of the readers that picked up her books.

_Dear diary, _

_I want to run away. She hurt me again. This time she threw me through the wall because I left a cup unwashed in the sink. I had a good excuse, but she didn't want to hear it. I know my back is bruised, when she pushes me against the wall, it's always with a force I can't control. I feel weak. I want to fight her, but she scares me. She's stronger than me. I could never hurt her, even if she wouldn't do the same for me. I just can't bring myself to strike her. _

Another entry…

_Dear diary, _

_Sometimes I think the abuse I suffer is too much to bear. I tried to run this time, when she stumbled home drunk and disoriented. I knew what was coming. But running only subjected me to more abuse. She tied my hands with rope, and beat me for 2 whole hours. I noticed the clock on my bedside table. She stopped only when she was exhausted, and then she went to her bedroom and passed out. I had cuts all over my body, bruises; there was a fair bit of blood from where she struck me with something hard. I don't know what it was. I couldn't move for three days. _

_I hate myself for being so weak. I want to see Puck. He always knows how to make me feel better. I wish I could tell him what happens in this house. What she does to me. But I am afraid of what she might do if she found out. Or what Puck would think of me, would he think me, weak? I couldn't bare that. _

If only she had known, there was nothing Puck wouldn't do for her. Nothing he wouldn't have protected her from, even Brennan knew that.

_Dear diary, _

_I find that it's the emotional abuse that stays with me longer. I am beginning to believe everything she says. I am unworthy, and I don't know anything. I will never amount to anything. I'll never get a good job or make my mother proud. I am ugly. She says it all the time. I believe her. I don't even know how Puck can stand the sight of me sometimes. I must be repulsive to look at! _

_She locked me in the trunk of the car for smashing a dinner plate. She left me in there for 3 hours. It was cold and dark. I hate the dark. It scares me. _

Brennan shut the book, as she sat trembling at her desk. She couldn't read anymore. It brought back too many memories of her own experiences in Foster care.

It was an automatic response, she wasn't even aware of what she'd done.

"Booth."

That single word cut through Booth like a knife, he'd never heard his partner sound so broken before. When she failed to respond with anything other than a soft whimper Booth was out of his office and in his SUV faster than lightening. Sirens on the whole way to the lab, thankfully by some small twist of fate she'd used her office phone to call him so he knew where to find her. Less than five minutes later a frantic Booth stormed into the lab rushing straight into Brennan's office. One look at his beloved partner told Booth more than he wanted to know.

Sounds of frantic squints reached Booth's ears drawing him out of his momentary fog. There was no way _his _Bones was in way shape or form ready to deal with the squints, not yet at least. Booth stepped out of the office shutting the door behind him. He held up his hand, silencing the squint squad.

"What happened today?" he asked in a hushed, but firm tone.

"Puck came in earlier upset. He talked with Bren and left. What's going on, Booth? What happened to Bren? She was fine when he left." Angela was trembling with concern for her best friend and fear at the worry etched on Booth's face. Hoddgins wrapped his arms protectively around his wife, equally worried, something was definitely wrong.

"Bones called me a few minutes ago, very upset. Camille, I need you to clear the lab … no interns." Booth said leveling Cam with a firm voice that brooked no argument.

It took Cam less than a minute to decide that Booth was right. She took a deep breath and walked to the platform. "Alright, listen up folks. I want everyone out of here in five minutes! Call it an early weekend … you heard me clear out." Giving everyone extra time off while they were in the middle of a case wasn't something Cam enjoyed, but the look on Seeley's face spoke volumes. The last time she'd seen him this spooked was when the Gravedigger had Brennan and Hoddgins. Once all the interns and extra staff were gone, Cam locked the lab doors and went back to the _family_ was waiting. It was odd how much Hoddgins, Angela, Brennan and Booth had truly become her _family_, but that's what they were a _family._

"Alright Seeley, everyone's gone. What happened?"

"I honestly don't know. I think something happened with the case and the way Bones identifies with Marie" he trailed off unsure of what he needed "just let me see what I can do. I know you're all worried, but give me some time."

Angela wrapped Booth in a hug bumping her slightly rounded stomach against him in the process. "Just love her Booth. Take care of her." Angela whispered in his ear.

With a nod Booth slip backed into Brennan's office and locked the door behind him. For some reason he couldn't quite explain even to himself he drew all the blinds, perhaps it was to protect her privacy, perhaps it just made the room feel safer. Booth knelt on the floor in front of _his_ Bones, turning her chair to face him.

"Bones. Bones. Hey, look at me Bones. It's just me … just Booth." He whispered softly, gently taking her hand and waiting for some kind of response, some small sign of recognition. Whatever had happened had shaken his partner, a woman who was normally unflappable.

Booth glanced around searching for anything out of place that might have triggered this reaction, when his eyes landed on the black book on her desk. Booth took in the discarded gloves from the trash can and assumed the book was somehow case related. He grabbed a pair of gloves from the desk drawer and gingerly opened the book.

_Dear Diary,_

_I finally get away for a little while. How could Mom turn it down … a Governor's Leadership Conference that the school recommended me for? Two weeks of leadership conferences and planning committees might not sound fun to anyone else, but it means two weeks that Mom won't be yelling at me or hitting me. Am I a horrible person for being so happy to get away from my own mother? What kind of person feels this way?_

Things were beginning to become clear. Something in Marie's diary had upset _his _Bones. Now wasn't the time for him to deal with it, this was something he would hand off to Angela and the squints while he focused on _Bones_.

Booth kissed her forehead gently as he stood "I'll be right back Bones." He whispered before he took the diary and walked out of her door. He rushed to Angela's office correctly assuming that the squint squad would be waiting there for news. "Guys, Puck apparently brought Marie's diary in today. I need you all to go through it, while I focus on Bones." Booth said handing over the diary and swiftly returning to Brennan, once again locking her office door behind him.


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**A/N 3:**__ Just a quick note __**More Human Than Me **__is a piece that I originally wrote under my penname D'Anna Marie. All the poetry is also my own original work and are written under the penname D'Anna Marie. If you're interested in checking out my other non-fan fiction related work there is a link on my author page. As these pieces are my own original work there is no copyright infringement._

_**A/N 4:**__ Star Trek is the brainchild of Gene Roddenberry and although I am a huge fan I do not own any rights associated with it, although I do own some of the books and dvd sets._

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

Angela wasn't entirely sure what she expected as she opened the black book up, but she couldn't suppress the overwhelming fear that perhaps she didn't want to know what secrets this book held. A small microSD card fell out of the book and landed on her desk. Hoddgins wrapped his arms around her as he noticed the tremors coursing through her body as she loaded the card in the computer and brought the first file up on the oversized monitor.

_**More Human Than Me**_

_By: Marie Jackson _

_Small squares of tile lined the floor and walls. The same pattern was repeated over and over on the walls and floor: a sickly sea foam, a muted mustard yellow, a baby diaper green, and a grey that once was white. It was the cheap industrial design that lacked creativity, but hid mold almost completely. They felt like tiny shards of ice against my flesh; each cold enough to produce sensation on my skin, but not strong enough to motivate action._

_The room had a pulse like a living breathing organism: drip, drip, drop, drip, drip, drop. Water throbbed through rusted pipes like blood through clogged veins. A toilet flushed in a distant room and all those distant rooms were suddenly connected to mine. It was like each of those distant rooms was an organ in a body and blood rushed from one to the other and back again._

_I was caught somewhere between existence and death, with no care as to which won. Trapped inside this room that seemed so alive, I had never felt more dead. I was numb to pain. I was unable to feel love. What I could no longer do for myself, the room did for me. The pipes seemed to tremble and shake as though the coldness of the room had crept into their bones. The walls slick with moisture seemed to cry the tears that had long since dried within my soul like an ancient riverbed._

_Awash with odors there were a thousand different notes to the room. Mold, soiled clothes, and putrid sweat soaked flesh mingled with lavender, vanilla, citrus, and Zest. Soap, shaving cream, Nair, and face creams clashed and crashed in the air. Rust, urine, sewage, sanitizers, cleaners, and mint toothpaste created a nauseating swirl of noxious odors when mixed with all the other fumes. The top note above all the others was warm copper, but even that did not open my eyes._

_Plink. Plink. Plink. The sound was oddly comforting. Plink. Plink. Plink. Tiny red tears like liquid rubies landed on the floor. A small pool formed like a spilled ink well on an aged piece of parchment. The effects of the crimson liquid were mesmerizing. It pulled my eyes like a hypnotist's watch as it traveled through the tiny canals between the tiles. Transparent ruby liquid flowed through the canals to a large formerly silver sieve in the floor. Swirling and whirling, but barely tinting the floor drain, the crimson liquid flowed out of sight through the tiny holes in the sieve._

_Red ink stained the soles of my feet. Lines carved in human flesh marked the passage of time. A living calendar that's lines crossed off another day I'd spent in Hell with no hope of escape. Each cut marked a day I had endured and still remained numb to pain. My abuser had not and would not win, but neither would I. The more I cut into my flesh trying to feel something, anything, the less I felt._

_Even though my eyes could see what my hands were doing, it didn't make sense. I couldn't see that I was hurting myself. It didn't matter who was causing the pain, Johnna, my abuser and mother, or myself, all that mattered was that I was unable to feel anything. What I saw were red lines drawn in the sand marking the days of my torment. I no longer felt human._

_I sat on the floor of a dorm suite bathroom that was more alive than I was. The lights flickered like eyes blinking back tears. Moisture slid down the walls like tears down cheeks. Drip, drip, drop, the pulse of the room echoed through the air. The pipes trembled and shook in horror at what I had done. What I could not see, the room saw for me. What I could not do, the room did for me._

_In the quiet predawn hours, before anyone else awoke, a door bathroom was more alive than I was. With no energy or desire to hope I accepted what was. There was more life in ceramic tiles, metal, and porcelain than there was in my soul. As I stood in the shower, hot water pouring over my body wrapping me in its warm embrace, the humanity of the bathroom comforted me. I was no longer alone, the room was my companion._

There wasn't a dry eye in the room. The sheer magnitude of what Marie had endured on a daily basis was oppressive, but there was an odd beauty and almost artistic voice to the way she describe the realization of her own cutting. _If she had lived long enough she might have ended up being a writer like Bren, _Angela mused through her tears.

"It's just the beginning of the files she saved." Angela said softly switching to the next document on the drive.

_**Exposed**_

_**By: D'Anna Marie**_

_Laying here exposed_

_I suppose I deserve it_

_Be it harsh or gentle_

_Strangeness seems to breed here_

_I entered of my own free will_

_Now I shall never leave_

_Doomed to die here it seems_

_Laying here exposed_

_For all to see_

_No privacy from prying eyes_

_Always on display_

_Both public and private_

_Doomed to die here_

_Laying here exposed_

_Nothing to hide me_

_Or shield me from their eyes_

_I lay here exposed_

_For all to see_

_As I say my last goodnight_

_Laying here exposed_

The words on the screen seemed oddly prophetic as the squints glanced out at the bones currently lain out on a cold metal examination table. What more was there to learn from this case? Oddly enough this case seemed to be bonding their strange family together almost as much as the Gravedigger case.

"Whose D'Anna Marie?" Hoddgins wondered aloud.

"I think its Marie." Angela guessed drawing comfort from her husband. "Maybe Puck would know, but the style and tone in the two pieces seems very similar."

"I think perhaps we should call Puck to be sure." Cam admitted softly, as overwhelmed emotionally as the others.

Thirty minutes later a very distraught looking Puck was let into the lab, by Brennan's rag tag family. Everyone gathered in Angela's office, no one quite sure how to begin. Finally unable to stand the tension any longer Puck spoke, his voice gruff and raw with emotion.

"Is this about Marie's diary?"

"Yes, sweetie it is. There was an SD card in her diary with a number of files on it. There's a large collection of poetry written by D'Anna Marie, but we're not sure who that is or why Marie would have so much of her work." Angela spoke softly so as not to startle the young man.

"D'Anna Marie is … or was Marie's penname. Whenever she wrote poetry she always signed it D'Anna Marie, she was even published a few times." Puck's voice was hoarse with emotion, but his eyes and expression were lost in the memory of his friend. "D'Anna Marie means Goddess of Bitterness. Marie always said that fit her work … she didn't know how to be happy and it showed in her writing, plus it was a sneaky way of honoring Gene Roddenberry. She always liked the character Deana Trio, so it was kind of an inside joke that she used a form of the character's name to write under."

"She was a Trekker?" Hoddgins asked in wonder.

"In the worst way. She watched the series, Generations, DS9 and Voyager especially. In a way it was kinda funny we're supposed to be the Enterprise generation, but Marie was old school. She read the books, especially the Imzadi set; her copies were so worn from being read they were falling apart. That was Marie total Trekker, but at the same time she crocheted without ever looking at what she was doing. She was special that way completely into something so high tech while she was doing something so old fashioned like crocheting." Puck responded wistfully.

Everyone seemed a little lost in their thoughts absorbing the image of a young woman who'd endured far too much during such a short life.

Cam was lost in her own thoughts for a moment, when she remembered something form the essay they'd discovered on the drive. "Angela, can you bring up that first essay please?" Cam requested. "Okay, highlight the name_ Johnna_. Puck do you know who Johann is? Marie says she's her mother, but according to our records her mother's name is Anna."

"Yeah, that b-tch IS Anna! _Johnna_ was what Marie's grandma called her daughter." His eyes were glued to the screen reading what was in all probability one of the last pieces his best friend wrote. "D-nm that explains why she was telling Hazel it was just something she'd thought up in a dream. F-ck the one year we didn't have Comp. together and she writes something like this … if I'd been there when she read this I would've known! I could've … would've done something! Why didn't she tell me d-nm it! Why?" Puck buried his face in his hands, never noticing that Angela had taken up a seat next to him until she folded the lost boy in her arms.

Angela just held Puck for a while, unsure of what to do. In so many ways he reminded her of the way Booth reacted every time something bad happened to Brennan. The similarities between the couples were so obvious that even the blind couldn't miss them.

Cam silently walked over to Angela's desk and picked up Marie's diary, someone had to go through it and right now Brennan was in no condition to do it and Angela had more important things to do. The last thing Cam wanted to do was invade Marie's privacy, but as a former cop she knew that the secrets contained within the pages of the book might be their only chance at catching a killer and making the people who hurt the young pay for their crimes.

Cam was almost afraid if what Marie's diary would reveal. During the course of this investigation the similarities between Marie and Brennan and Puck and Booth had become so painfully obvious that the younger couple had become members of the tribe … the Jeffersonian family, both for who they were and for the younger reflection of their adult counterparts. Marie's death felt like a personal assault and Puck's pain was shared and mirrored by the whole family. Emotional distance was a luxury no one seemed to have on this case, even the interns were showing signs of strain. Daisy was subdued and no longer followed Brennan around like a puppy. Wendell was quiet and seemed to go for hours and even days without speaking, unless it was absolutely necessary and Fisher was more depressed than usual. This was personal! Her family needed closure in order to heal, so with a deep breath Cam opened the diary and began reading.

_Dear Diary,_

_Kathy told me today that I'm dying. "You probably won't live long enough to see your 18__th__ birthday and it will take an act of God nothing short of the flood for you to see your 21__st__ birthday." That's what Kathy told mother and I in her office, it's seems odd, but I actually thanked her. There I was three weeks before my 16__th__ birthday being told I had less than 2 years to live at the very most five years till I'm worm food and I thanked her. Dying actually sounds like a blessing right now. I'm so tired. All I want to do is let Puck hold me and let the world melt away._

Cam was a little in shock reading those words of doom. Knowing the case study of Patient X and having spoken with Dr. Kathy Shortz, she knew that Marie was living on borrowed time, but to see it in Marie's own handwriting brought a tear to her eyes. Marie went through so much and yet even Shortz had relayed the story of Marie thanking her for what amounted to passing a death sentence on her.

_Dear Diary,_

_What is wrong with me? Why do I seem to draw the lowest forms of life to me? Am I some sort of evil magnet? Perhaps I was just born wrong … it would explain my health … I was never intended to survive._

_I went to Father Michaels for help. I wanted to find a way to make mother love me, but I think that may have been one of the biggest mistakes of my life. He went to mother and told her he felt that I needed counseling to save my soul from the devil. Now three times a week I'm forced to endure his company. The way he looks at me … I feel so exposed … dirty … violated._

"_God wants me to love the evil from you." He keeps telling me that. He runs his hands over my body. I throw up before my sessions and after them. He keeps saying things like "God commands me to love you." "You don't want to disobey God do you?" I'm not sure how much more I can take._

_Today I couldn't even look Puck in the face. I was so sure that he would see all the ways Michaels has violated me and would hate me for had happened._

_I'm so sorry Puck. I never wanted that monster to touch me. The only person I've ever wanted to touch me is you, but now I know I'm too disgusting to love. I'm not even good enough to be you friend after what I allowed that beast to do. No one can love me … not even God can love me._

_If there is a God I must be so wrong that even he has turned his back on me. I've corrupted a priest. I allowed a priest to RAPE me._

_Father Michaels RAPED me!_

Cam lunged for Angela's trash can throwing up everything she'd eaten. On her hands and knees beside the trash can, throwing up with tears pouring down her face, everyone focused their attention on Cam. Her years on the force and solving crimes for the FBI had taught her that the world was full of evil and that monster do exist. Even though she knew what Father Michaels had done and that he was now in prison for his crimes, nothing could have prepared her for the soul deep trauma of the young woman's words or the way Brennan's face was almost superimposed over Marie's in her mind. The shock of those things combine was simply too much for Cam to handle.

Hoddgins eyes flew to Cam as he heard the first retching sounds filled the quiet room. His horrified expression met his wife's and Puck's. In all the years Hoddgins and Angela had known Cam she seemed almost unflappable as much if not more so than Brennan, the only cases that seemed to effect her were the ones that involved a threat or danger to the family, the only other time she'd seemed personally effected was when Andrew her ex-fiancé had been the victim. But this reaction was above and beyond anything the couple had ever witnessed before. Hoddgins crouched down next to Cam and rubbed her back awkwardly.

"Are you okay?"

"I can't read any more. Not now at least. You do it." Cam gasped out clearly emotionally and physically worn out from the experience.

Now, it was Hoddgins who faced the horrid book of revelations with trepidation and fear. It was his turn to get an up close look at the horrors Marie had faced. There wasn't going to be slime or bugs or even any excrement, no this assignment was far worse than anything else he'd ever faced. A small part of him almost wished he was back trapped in the car with Brennan, because at least then he could avoid this particular assignment.


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

To say he was scared was the understatement of the millennium, Hoddgins was petrified. Indulging his long forgotten trusty rubber band habit, he pulled an elastic band from his wife's desk, fearing he would need all the help and coping mechanisms he could find. He slowly opened the accursed book.

_Dear Diary,_

_Something isn't right. This is completely illogical, but all the evidence points to the idea that someone is trying to poison me. I know it sounds crazy, but today after having a glass of Joy Juice I PASSED OUT! I only have that reaction to Calcium. It doesn't make any sense there is NO Calcium in Joy Juice!_

_There are new burns too. A lovely gift from mother. She must have gotten happy with the candles again; at least this time I wasn't awake while it happened. Thank goodness for small blessings._

_Is it crazy to wonder if she drugged me to see if I would wake-up while she burned me? Could she be that crazy? Maybe it's some kind of punishment from God for doubting his existence? Maybe I should give in … maybe Father Michaels really does know God's will._

The rhythmic snapping of elastic against flesh drew Angela's attention, but her husband waved her off and returned to the task before him. There was no way he wanted his wife … his pregnant wife to have to read the horrors young Marie had endured. It was too much for Cam and he feared it would be too much for him, but he would just have to endure this trial, because Angela was far too tenderhearted to read this. With those thoughts of protection coursing through his head, Hoddgins opened the book to a new page fearing he wouldn't make it through if he tried to read the words from cover to cover.

_Dear Diary,_

_I don't believe in God. I don't have the strength any more to fake it. Father Michaels … just his name makes me throw up. He won't stop groping me. He claims GOD IS COMMANDING HIM TO LOVE ME! Well if that's God's command than I'd rather take my chances in HELL … it can't be any worse than mother and Father Michaels._

_I can't wash him away. No matter what I do I can't get clean. I scrub and scrub until my skin is raw and I can't rid myself of him. The feel of his hands on my body. The stench of his breathe. The pain._

_Life with mother has taught me to block out and withstand unimaginable pain, but the pain he causes every time he invades my body … this isn't right. _

Hoddgins was a strong man, but he just couldn't stomach reading a young woman describe her own rape. The constant bite of the rubber band was the only thing keeping him from going postal and even its hold was tenuous at best. Flipping to a new page, unable to read the rest of the former entry Hoddgins prayed for something slightly less horrific.

_Dear Diary,_

_I don't understand this … yesterday I wore my perfume, the simple spritzer Puck got me for my birthday, it's my favorite and I had no reaction. This morning I put it on and I'm having trouble breathing and my skin is burning and blistering. I have hives everywhere I used it. I don't understand it. I can't wash it off either no matter what I do it feels like acid eating away at my skin._

_The only thing that seems to help even a little is chugging Benadryl and Zyrtec like they're going out of style, but something tells me this time it won't be enough. This feels like its ending and soon._

Hoddgins was shocked by the reality that somehow this young woman seemed to have been able to predict her own death. The concept just seemed so wrong! She's been beaten and tortured by her own mother. Raped both physically and psychologically by a Priest and betrayed by her own body as it turned against her with a vengeance. With a resignation and trepidation he turned to the last page in the journal, his eyes skimming over the passage that was more of a last will and testament and a letter to a lover than a diary entry. Tears slipped silently down Hoddgins face as he quickly skimmed through the book for similar entries, marking them as he came to them.

"Puck man, have you read this whole diary?" Hoddgins asked softly kneeling before the young man as a sign of respect for the great loss he'd endured.

Puck shook his head chocking on his words. "I read a couple, but I couldn't get through more."

Hoddgins' hand as well as his wife's hand found their way to the young man shoulders. "I've read some of them and I can only imagine how much they tore you up, I've seen a lot and they were some of the most horrific things I've ever experienced. But there are some entries I think you need to read"

"Jack" Angela gasped horrified at her husband's suggestion.

"Ange, babe trust me on this … it's not what you think." Hoddgins said addressing his wife before he turned his attention back to Puck. "I think that she meant for you to read these entries. I promise man they aren't what you think … yeah some of it will be hard to read, but for the most part these were directed to you. This might be why she left her diary for you to find." His eyes locked with the emotionally rot soul in front of him. "I gotta ask you one thing before you read this though … Marie mentions a perfume that you bought her what was it?"

"I got her _Exotic Embrace_ for her birthday a while back. She wore it all the time" he confessed almost wistfully "Why?"

"Okay … good. I know this is something we guys don't think about, but this could break the case and help us put away Johnna so try. What did the bottle look like? Could you open it and add something to it without anyone noticing? Or was the bottle sealed shut? Where did you buy it?"

"Victoria Secrets I think. Uhh the bottle was plastic at least I'm pretty sure it was … it had a cap that screwed on and off with a sprayer thing … I think." Puck replied racking his brain for the information.

Angela's eyes locked with her husband's as a silent understanding passed between the two. They might have at least part of their murder weapon.

"That's great man!" Hodggins said clapping him on the shoulder. "Just read the stuff I marked. Cam, Ange and I are gonna work on something, we'll give you some space to read in private, just wear these" the scientist said softly placing a set of gloves in Puck's hands, before leading his wife away and signaling Cam to follow.

Once out of hearing range Hoddgins addressed the women. "Okay, if her diary is anything to go by I think we can all agree her sadistic mother is the killer. I think she gave us enough information to get at least part of the weapons too. Cam, think you can get Caroline to get an FBI lackey to do a hush hush search if I can provide the specific items we're looking for? If this woman is half as nuts as Marie described I think we need to be careful and Booth needs to be with Brennan right now." Hodggins whispered hoping against all odds they could get this part of the investigation done quietly before they were forced to invade whatever was going on with everyone's favorite almost couple.

"I'll see what I can do. Maybe Charlie can handle the search while Johnna's out. What exactly are we looking for?" the pathologist asked.

"They need to search for any bottles of Exotic Embrace perfume from Victoria Secrets and any liquids labeled Joy Juice or resembling a test sample we'll give him. If you can get me those things I'm pretty sure we can catch a killer." Hodggins said drawing his wife against his shoulder.

Cam nodded and went to her office to talk with the only prosecutor willing to work with the Jeffersonian and Booth. _I'm willing to do just about anything so long as I don't have to read anymore of Marie's diary_, _even deal with Caroline Julian_. Cam mused as she explained the situation to the feisty, tough as nails woman. Usual this pleasure would fall to Booth, but given the circumstances Cam was able to get the prosecutor to cooperate; it seemed that the other woman had a soft spot for Brennan and the rest of their rag tag family.


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

_My dear sweet Puck,_

_Yes, I know you hate it when I call you sweet, but my friend it's the truth. You have the kindest heart I've ever known. Until I met you I thought that men as sweet, gentle, compassionate, loving and loyal as you only existed in musty old fairy tales, I've never been more glad to be proven wrong in my life. You are the only person I've ever truly trusted, the only person who's made me feel safe. Safety and trust are concepts I don't fully understand, before you they were completely foreign to me, but now I feel like I'm beginning to understand them. With you near me I know that I can close my eyes and no one will hurt me that you'll watch over me. I've never had anyone do that for me … you are the best person I know._

_Knowing you, you probably skipped to the end and you're reading this letter first. You're desire to always know the end and then watch the story unfold is one of the many things I love about you. I really hope that you're reading this first there's so much I need to explain before you read the rest of this book. I meant for you to find this book. I left it for you. If you're reading this than the logical conclusion is that I'm dead. I don't know how to explain it, but it feels like my time is up. On some level I'm relieved to no longer have to go on, you're the only thing I will miss from this life. You're the only thing … the only reason I've kept going this long. I don't know how to thank you for that._

_My dear friend, others look at you and only see the façade you put in place to protect your heart. They have no idea the amazing man who lies just beneath the surface. They cheat themselves out of knowing a true old fashioned gentleman (stop cringing, it's true). You're the guy who took his jacket off and covered my head when we got caught in the rain. Who gave me endless massages when my back ached; you offered to work the kinks out before I could ever say a word. You paid attention me … you've always paid attention to me, since the day we met. You listen to me. No one has ever done that for me before. I know I'm safe with you … I can let my guard down. You deserve so much more than me, but I am forever grateful that you chose me. I wish everyone could see what an amazing person you are._

Puck's hands shook as he read the last pages of Marie's diary. Her final words were written to him and they seemed to burn through him searing his very soul. Hot tears slapped against the pages smudging the ink, but leaving the amazing message behind them unmarred. Marie had not only carried a love letter to him around in her bag, she'd left her diary for him to find and poured her very soul out for his eyes alone in a final letter. His best friend knew she was losing the battle with life and she took the time to send a final message to him … she'd loved him. Wiping his eyes on the back of his sleeve Puck kept reading.

_I've left you everything … everything I've ever written. There is a special computer file tucked in the lining of the cover that contains every poem, essay, and piece of prose I've ever written that might be worth reading. I had a computer tech show me how to transfer the files from my computer to the memory card, as of now I give them to you to do with as you wish. You have all the rights to them and I've erased all the files from my computer. You are the only person I trust with my writing … the only person who listened and cared for me in life so let them be my final gift to you._

_What you will read here won't be pleasant. There is a great deal here that might make you angry, I'm sorry I never had the courage to tell you in life. I hope that you won't hate me, but I understand if you need to hate me. I hate myself for what I allowed Father Michaels to do to me, what he will probably do again this afternoon. I'm sorry I'm just too weak to fight him off. I could barely stand up … it's taking everything I can do to just walk from class to class. I hope someday you can forgive me for being too weak to fight him off._

_Oh, Puck I wish I'd had the courage to tell you that I love you, but I don't think I'll ever see you again. You take so much on your shoulders whatever you do DON'T take this on your shoulders! This was NOT your fault! You made life worth living and I will be grateful for every moment and memory I have with you! My last thoughts will be of you. If you're right and there is an afterlife than I hope someday many many years from now we will see each other again. You are my greatest … my only true friend! You taught me what love is and now, because of you I finally understand what it means to say "I love you". Puck Maser, I love you._

_Marie _

"I could never hate you! It wasn't your fault … none of this was your fault!" Puck sobbed caressing the page. Not only had his best friend known she was going to die, she must have seen this coming far enough ahead to plan and leave him all of her writing, as well as her diary. All the strength drained out of Puck's body, the emotional toll of the day was simply more than his body could handle. His body seemed to slip into a state of shock, unable to read anymore, but not strong enough to move.

Angela seemed to sense that Puck had reached his limit. She urged him to lie down on her couch and covered him with a blanket, before dimming the lights. This case had been impossible for everyone, but no one had lost as much as the young man lying on her couch. Angela silently vowed to find a way for the _Family_ to watch over its newest member, who'd already lost too much and needed somewhere to belong as much as the rest of them. _Maybe Dad needs an extra roadie for his tour this summer. Puck and Dad would get along. I'll have to remember to talk with Dad about Puck._ Angela thought as she walked out of her office and into her husband's lab.


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

Alone in the room, with Booth, she ran her hands through her hair, frantically pacing the floor in her office. This was too much. It was too overwhelming. Brennan felt her palms sweat and a hot flush spread through her entire body. Her breathing became erratic and she felt her chest tighten.

She was having a panic attack.

Brennan's erratic breathing became more evident to her partner.

"Bones," Booth crossed the room to where she stood. She glanced at him, her eyes filled with a new kind of terror. "Are you okay?" he asked gently.

She managed to shake her head. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. It wasn't right. It was wrong. Marie was supposed to go grow up. She was supposed to have a happily ever after, like in the storybooks. It wasn't supposed to end this way. She wasn't supposed to die. "It's not right," she rambled. "It's not right… Marie didn't deserve this… she was innocent… Marie was…"

Brennan's eyes rolled in the back of her head, and she felt the floor shift from underneath her.

"Bones!" Booth's voice was distant.

Brennan's world went black.

B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B

"… Baby, open your eyes," Brennan heard the deep panic in her partner's voice. She could almost be certain he had been calling her name for some time.

Brennan's eyes flutter beneath her eyelids before she opened them, gazing up at Booth.

He was smiling. "Hey there, beautiful…"

Even having lost control of her body and fallen into his waiting arms, she blushed at the name. It might have also had to do with the fact that she could hear his heart beat against hers.

"You passed out," he told her.

Brennan's scientific nature kicked in. "It was syncope," she whispered.

Booth frowned. "Bones, you-"

"I'm okay," she told him. she tried to pull herself up, resting her hand on his knee.

"Don't move, Bones. Just give yourself a minute," he ordered.

Angela appeared in the doorway. "Bren!" she cried, her eyes widening with surprise at her friend laying sprawled out on the floor, or more to the point, resting in Booth's arms. Had she missed something? "Are you okay?" she stepped into the room.

"She's okay… she was mumbling something about syncing."

"Syncope, Booth," she corrected him. "I fainted."

"I said that!"

"No, you said I passed out."

"What's the difference?" he snapped.

"Fainting has to do with the lack of Oxygen to your brain, whereas to pass out, involves-"

Booth laughed. "Yeah, I got it, Bones. Glad to know you're okay."

Angela helped Booth lift Brennan from the floor. "What happened sweetie?"

Brennan looked to Booth.

"She's alright," Booth assured her.

Angela nodded. She trusted Booth and she trusted Brennan, whenever she needed to know – if she needed to know – she'd be told. She gave Brennan a warm smile and left her alone with Booth.

"You are alright," he looked at her. "Aren't you?"

Brenna sighed heavily. "Yes, I think so. This case is just…"

"I know," he nodded.

Brennan managed a weak smile. "I'll be okay, I can adjust. Marie's mother, she'll… justice will suffice."

"That's my girl," he winked.

They sat in silence for a while. Booth's arm wrapped around Brennan, her head resting on his shoulder, both quietly drawing support from the other. Booth's thoughts drifted to the gift he'd been making for the precious treasure in his arms. Now wasn't the time to give it to her, this case had stirred up far too many memories, but when things were over and the case was closed, then he'd find the perfect moment. She was his best friend and the woman he loved with all of his heart and soul; if it was the only thing he ever did right aside from being the best father he could be to his son, Booth vowed to make sure the woman currently asleep on his should knew what it meant to be loved and accepted without condition or reservation.

His phone rang and Booth quietly eased out from under Brennan and laid her down on her couch, before slipping out of her office and closing the door behind him, so his phone call didn't disturb her.


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

The team had worked through the night analyzing the evidence Charlie had gathered from the Jackson residence. Everyone thought Puck was still asleep in Angela's office, but when the young man had woken alone and discovered Marie's diary had been moved he'd left.

"_Dr. Brennan someone has to get justice for Marie! I owe her that! That b-tch will pay for what she's done! She will be brought to justice."_ Puck's words were echoing in the back of Brennan's mind, like the ripples in a pond they were just below the surface.

"Bones," Booth poked his head into her office. Brennan was still on her couch. Her mind was light years away, lost in another lifetime, memories stealing her focus. Booth pulled her back to reality. She glanced up and met his eyes. "There was a call… Puck has gone nuts. He's with Marie's mother…"

Brennan didn't need him to explain anything else.

She was out of her seat and out the door in seconds.

Booth struggled to stay close behind her.

"What's going on?" he demanded as he followed her through the Jeffersonian building and out of the double doors, towards Booth's car. "Puck said he would only talk to you."

"It was her!" Brennan stated matter-of-factly. They reached his SUV and Brennan took the passenger's side. "Get me there fast!" she ordered.

"Why?" he sounded panicked, confusion crossing his face.

"Johnna did this, Booth!" she said. "Puck gave me Marie's diary…" it dawned on her that his actions were right in front of her the whole time. He had planned this. Giving her the diary, talking about justice, Puck had wanted Brennan to follow him. What she didn't understand was why.

"Oh," he breathed. Booth started to engine, and carefully sped his way through traffic, to get to Puck and Johnna in time, before a dangerous situation turned deadly.

Brennan was out of the car before Booth had even stopped it. She rushed straight for the door.

"Bones wait!" he called. He didn't want her walking into something dangerous.

She ignored his pleading, and pushed open the door. She heard Puck's voice instantly, and followed it into the loungeroom. Puck was only a foot away from Marie's mother, a knife held out in front of the terrified woman.

"You made her think she was ugly, and worthless, she had no confidence because of you, you piece of crap," he was waving the knife at her. "You beat her. She was your _daughter_, and you killed her!"

"Puck," Brennan announced quietly, eager to defuse the situation as quickly as possible. She felt Booth step up behind her. "I need you to lower the knife," she ordered.

"NO!" he refused. "I want to kill her, like she killed Marie. I want her to pay! I WANT YOU TO PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID!"

"Not like this," Brennan insisted.

"Why not?" he demanded.

"Because you are not a killer, Puck, don't let her turn you into one," she pressed.

Puck seemed to hesitate.

Booth used that moment to step in.

"Why didn't you leave it to us, Puck?" he asked calmly. He had his gun out of his holster, but Brennan's hand was on his arm, silently pleading with him not to aim it at Puck.

"Dr. Brennan said she wanted justice for Marie," he answered. He turned to Brennan. "That's what you said!"

"Yes," she agreed. "But not like this. Let the law handle it, Puck. You can't break the law."

"Why not?" he challenged. "She did! She made Marie's life a living hell, and she deserves to die… she killed my best friend. She killed my soul mate, do you know how that feels?" his anger seemed to only increase, the fire evident in his eyes.

Brennan's eyes wondered to Booth. No, if she was honest, she didn't understand how that felt. Her best friend was still standing beside her, the man who always had her back, the man who believed in all the things she didn't, but whatever happened, Booth seemed to believe them for her. Had he been ripped away from her, the way Marie was ripped away from Puck, Brennan wasn't sure she wouldn't want to take the justice for herself either.

Living without Booth, seemed to be as improbable as living without air.

"I know that it isn't fair," Brennan said gently, her gaze moving back to Puck. "If I was in your position I don't know what I'd do. But you can't destroy your own life, Puck. Marie wouldn't want that for you," as Brennan wouldn't want for Booth.

"Marie didn't want to get beaten every single day either, and she didn't want to die!" he shouted. His cold dark eyes moved to Johnna, the woman seemed to cringe under his stare. "You took her from me, you stole her life away and you… you stand there you stupid B*#! and you live with that."

Johnna shook her head, a hint of a smile lingering on her lips. "That girl was tainted the moment she was born. She never listened. And you," the woman pointed a finger at Puck. "I knew you'd be bad news. She fell in with a rotten crowd. YOU! Don't you think you should be blaming yourself for this, you couldn't even keep her happy, or protect her," Johnna laughed bitterly.

She looked unafraid as Puck took a step towards her, the knife out in front of him, a cold, death stare directed at the woman who had killed his best friend.

"I'll make it as painful as you made her life," he threatened.

A realization came over Johnna as she realized that his threat wasn't an empty one. In one swift move, the boy rushed forward, the knife stretch out. He was only inches from penetrating the blade into her stomach, before he felt himself being pulled back by strong arms.

"Let me go!" he demanded struggling against the force of the embrace.

"Puck, stop it!" Booth's voice soothed. "I can't let you do this… I don't want to see you go to jail. We will take care of Johnna. I swear. We got it."

Puck sunk, defeated, against Booth.

Brennan stepped forward, alert and cautious to the unpredictability of Johnna, and pulled her arms around her back. She lifted her gaze to Booth, and smiled. "Allow me," she asked.

Booth saw what she was doing, and threw her a pair of handcuffs. Brennan forced the woman's hands higher up her back until she let out a yelp. "You have the right to remain silent, so I suggest you shut up and say nothing."

Puck managed a smile.

"Go, Bones!" Booth cheered.

She let a smile linger on her face.


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

The partners had Johnna stewing in an interrogation room when a phone call from the squint squad let them know that they had all the evidence needed to convict Johnna. The paperwork was faxed over so the dynamic crime fighting duo could review it before facing her.

Brennan felt the anger and bitterness from her own childhood come to the fore. Johnna sat across from her at the interrogation table, where they questioned suspects. Booth was standing to the side, watching Brennan.

"She your was daughter!" Brennan stated matter-of-factly. "Your job is to protect her."

"That little B^$!* was a problem the day she was born. Always disobeying me, always doing something to push my buttons, the little B$!*knew what she was doing. She deserved it."

"She deserved to die, because she was disobedient?" Brennan clenched her hand into a fist, and released it again, her arms held at her side, to stop herself from using her black-belt.

"She deserved to be punished!" Johnna stated without remorse. Brennan noticed that Marie's mother hadn't denied killing her daughter since Puck had accused her, and while she had never come out and said it in so many words, there was no doubt in Brennan's mind that the woman did it.

"So do you!" Booth responded from the corner. He crossed the room to where Johnna sat at the table, and placed his hands flat down on the table, leaning in towards her. "You killed Marie in cold blood, because you couldn't control her the way you wanted to. For you, that's a one way ticket to the electric chair!"

Johnna looked unconcerned, her eyes dark and cold, there was no remorse for what she had done. Booth could see that she was dangerous. A suspect with no remorse always re-offended. It was in the files - psychopathic criminals.

"You don't have anything you want to say?" Booth pressed. He stood up straight, and folded his arms glaring down at her.

Johnna remained silent.

"Why did she do?" Brennan questioned. "What did she do that was _so_ bad you had to beat her and throw her into the trunk of a car for three hours…"

Johnna lifted her gaze and looked up at Brennan. "The girl was a wasted space. I'm not sorry for what happened. The child was difficult right from the beginning. It was a relief when I saw the blood…" she seemed to smile at the memory.

Both Booth and Brennan were silent as they waited for her to go on.

"She came home whining as usual about Father Michaels… spouting some lies about what he did. She was always making up stories, the little liar…" Johnna looked annoyed. "No one accuses a man of God about such detestable crimes. It's unholy."

"You didn't ever think that maybe Marie was telling the truth?" Booth shot at her.

Johnna shrugged. "Of course not,"

"She was," Brennan stated. "There was semen found on the body. The DNA matched Father Michaels."

"She seduced him," Johnna stated as if that were the obvious answer.

Brennan felt her hands clench again, and she reminded herself to take deep breaths, she looked over at Booth to find him having the same struggle. Brennan peered across at Marie's mother from the table, trying to understand what caused someone to react this way. Had something happened in her own childhood, had something happened to make her feel like the world deserved to be punished? Brennan assumed so.

"Marie deserved what was coming to her…"

"And what was that, Johnna?" Booth ordered.

"I grabbed the candlestick from the dresser in my bedroom. It's the one tool that really made Marie cry… do you know how much it hurts to have that piercing your skin, it can feel like fire burning when it penetrates. My own mother used to use it on me, for less. It's the only way to make a child behave sometimes," she explained. "She tried to run… but the clumsy idiot fell, she was always falling over or knocking things down or banging into something, nothing like me. I walk like a normal person, she was so stupid…"

Brennan's mouth curved into a scowl.

"I stabbed the candlestick into her feet. You should have seen the look on her face," Johnna laughed. "It was priceless, and that scream that leapt from her mouth, it was my best work, if I may say so myself. I did it again, and when she curled her feet underneath her, I wacked her in the head. The blood was never-ending. I couldn't leave her there in my house."

"You moved the body under the bridge," it wasn't a question.

"Of course, she made enough of a mess, I wasn't about to let her blood dry up in the house. I like things clean, another thing she tortured me about, always messy that girl, leaving her clothes everywhere and the towels on the bathroom floor."

Booth shook his head. "I'm done with you," he stated making his way for the door. "There's no deal. You're getting the chair! But until then, be assured you'll have one tiny little cell to sit in… keep it as clean as you like."

Brennan put her hand on Booth's arm silently asking for his indulgence, she might not believe in psychology, but her gut was screaming at her. All through this case her gut had been her ever present guide and so far it hadn't led her astray, so she decided to go with it now and see where it led them.

"That isn't all you did though is it Johnna?" Brennan spat in a cold calculating tone that clearly said _I know more than you do._

"What do you mean?"

"You were too weak to face your daughter on faire ground" she paused watching the implication register in the other woman's eyes "you had to drug her … make her weak … what was it Calcium in her favorite drink?"

"I killed that waste of space" the woman echoed again although this time her eyes betrayed her on fear.

"Or maybe it was iodine in the perfume that her friend thought enough of her to give her as a gift?"

Booth decided to join Brennan in taunting the woman they already had dead to rights for killing her own daughter.

"I know she dosed the perfume, because no one ever loved her enough to bring her a gift as thoughtful as that. She was jealous." Booth spoke to Brennan as though Johnna wasn't in the room, usually when the partners blocked out the rest of the world it was to focus solely on each other, but at the moment their goal was to torment and taunt a remorseless killer.

"That sounds accurate to me. After all Marie was beautiful and well" Brennan said gesturing at the other woman, before rolling her eyes. The last time Brennan had seemed this playful before a suspect was in Vegas. The case may have been emotionally draining, but this release seemed to be helping his best friend. When she stood to leave Booth followed her.

Just before jerking the door open Booth caught Brennan's parting volley at Johnna. "Oh, next time don't keep the evidence in your fridge and on the dresser." Brennan threw at Johnna before strolling out the door.

Booth slammed the door behind him and Brennan, as they left the woman alone in the room.

* * *

_ Thank you so much for all of the lovely reviews! I'm sorry we're running behind, but I promise we will respond personally to all signed reviews. Thanks to all of the unsigned reviewers, you're words are cherished._


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**A/N 3:** Special thanks to __**mendenbar **for catching a mistake and helping us fix, so here is a revised chapter._

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

"How are you doing?" Brennan asked compassionately.

Puck lifted his head slightly and met her gaze only for a moment before he lowered his head back to the bowl of fries on the table. Seated in the diner, he could almost feel the stares from every pair of eyes in the room, he knew he was being paranoid, but the emotional turmoil he had experienced in the last few weeks, was overwhelming.

He just wanted his friend back.

It had been a month since the case was over, both Father Michaels and Johnna Jackson were behind bars, their sentences felt at least some sort of justice for Marie, not that she was alive and well, but at least they had lost their freedom, if nothing else.

"I miss her," he admitted.

Brennan nodded.

"I feel sick, Dr. Brennan. I could have helped her, but she thought I'd hate her if she told me about Father Michaels," he picked at the bowl of fries but didn't eat any. "What kind of friend does that make me?"

Brennan shook her head softly, and leaned over the table to take his hand. He was a bright boy, and Brennan felt bad for him. "It wasn't you she was afraid of, Puck, you have to understand that. Being abused like that is an emotional turmoil. It's not always a rational thought later on, and she loved you, you know she did… it wasn't about trust or how much she cared about you. It was her own shame, the shame and guilt one feels for not being able to stop a pedophile from touching them," she answered through clenched teeth. All this time later, Brennan still felt the case on an emotional level. She identified with Marie in most instances.

"I wish she hadn't felt that way," he admitted. "I wish she would have told me."

"And what would you have done?" she asked gently.

"Killed the B****d!" he stated without hesitation.

"Maybe that was what she was afraid of," Brennan reasoned logically.

Puck nodded. Marie had been selfless. She had been bright. She had been beautiful. Her heart was always second to those she loved. Maybe Brennan was right…

"Does it ever get better?" he asked. "Does it stop hurting?"

Brennan wanted to say yes, she wanted to tell him that time healed all wounds, but in her experience, they never healed, they only closed over, like a scab. Brennan gave him the honest answer. "No," she said. "But after a while you can look back and smile instead of cry, and you can remember more about the amazing girl she was, than recall the horrible things that happened to her. It does get easier, but you never forget."

Puck nodded. "Thanks… for not wrapping it up in cotton wool."

"I don't know what that means?"

If Puck hadn't felt so bad, he might have smiled at her naivety. "Thanks for telling the truth, like it is."

"You're welcome," she said. Sometimes, she realized, the truth was better than a lie.

"So what about you?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

Brennan felt her stomach turn, she wasn't even sure why, only that she didn't like the direction of this conversation. "I don't know what-"

Puck didn't buy her innocent act for a minute. "You know what I mean," he stated. "The FBI guy, what's goin' on with you two?" Puck felt that he had gained enough trust from this woman to begin prying into her personal life.

"We're partners," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Is that all?" he pressed.

Brennan felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "I don't think this is really an appropriate conversation to be having with you, Puck, I'm sorry…"

Puck laughed. "I get that you're scared. Believe me, I been there… it's a scary place. But you know what sucks more?" he pondered.

Brennan knew where he was going with this.

"Regret," he said simply. "I wish I had at least said something to Marie," he admitted, his eyes clouding over with what could only be described as pain. "If I had told her I loved her, or… maybe she'd be alive. I'm not saying that you're killing the FBI guy if you don't say nothin', but what if something changes, what if moves on, and you didn't say anything, what if he marries some blonde bimbo, from another country?" he posed.

Brenna shivered at the thought. She knew that Booth wasn't hers, but to picture him with someone else wasn't a nice image, it made her heart ache.

"I see where you're coming from Puck," she nodded.

"So you'll do something about it," he said.

Brennan didn't answer.

"You'll think about it… seriously, think about it?" he pushed.

Brennan nodded. "I will, I promise."

"Good," he looked down at his watch and stood from the chair. "I have to go. I don't want this to be the last time I see you," he admitted. "Can I… I don't know, come by every now and then?"

Brennan smiled. She admired the boy. "Of course," she nodded. 'I'd like that."

"Me, too."

A moment later he was gone, leaving Brennan alone at the table, her mind still filled with their conversation. Was Puck right, would she have regrets if she didn't tell him now?

How do you go through life thinking that everything can be explained in clear, concise language of science only to discover you've been living a half life? Brennan had felt like this before, every single time was connected to Booth. Images flashed through her mind faster than most people could process, but somehow the familiar speed was slightly comforting in its familiarity.

_Arms pulling her from the ground and clinging to her; whispering over and over again that she was safe and that he had her._

_A battered Booth rescuing her from Kenton; risking his life to save her. _

_Booth holding her while they waited for the verdict in her father's trial._

_Booth introducing her to Parker for the first time and the odd feeling of warmth that spread through her when the younger Booth smiled._

_Meeting Booth's grandfather and discovering where many of Booth's most charming and endearing qualities must have come from._

_The willingness to kill the Gravedigger, without remorse when Booth was trapped on the ship._

_Rescuing Booth and feeling like she could finally breathe again._

_Feeling unable to breathe in Maluku after waking up from nightmares of Booth hurt and not being able to reach him in time._

_Dreaming about having a child, but the father was always Booth. No matter what she had always wanted Booth to be the father of her child._

More images toppled through her mind and collided against each other, until the only solid image was of the man himself. The realization was almost overwhelming. _My life would be incomplete without Booth!_ _If the future was to be determined_ Brennan took a deep breath to steady herself and strengthen her resolve, _then my future is with Booth._ The only thing left to resolve was how she would talk to Booth. Booth's words from years back echoed in her head _"put your brain into neutral and your heart into overdrive Bones"_ following his advice was never easy, but sometimes it made things that should otherwise be impossible happen, like her father beating murder charges.

* * *

_There were multiple requests for more chapters instead of rushed thank you's so here you go by popular demand. I promise to eventually send out personal thank you's and comments to each of you, but in the mean time here is another chapter._


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**A/N 3: **Alright everyone I've corrected the quote from the last chapter. For the record though the "mistake" "horrible misquote" and all the other lovely references that were happily pointed out, were not "shoddy writing". It was done on purpose. Take a moment and think about how many times Brennan has misquoted a popular reference. As I recall on more than one occasion if memory serves me correctly Brennan even misquoted that reference from Booth. That habit, plus the emotionally mixed up state she has been in through this whole story, were the reason behind the INTENTIONAL misquote.  
_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

Brennan's mind was going a mile a minute as she made her way to Booth's office. Puck had given her a lot to think about. This whole case had stirred up so many memories and emotions. Her parents might have left her, but above all else they loved her and Russ and that was the only reason they left. They loved their children so much that when they felt the only way to protect them was to leave them that's what they had done, not out of hate or contempt, but out of love. Nine years ago when she'd first met Booth she, wouldn't have been able to recognize that distinction, but thanks to her partner, her best friend she now understood that concept.

_Booth took a gamble on our relationship that night in front of this building, but I wasn't ready. I don't want to regret my life, maybe Puck is right. I don't want Booth to discover how I feel after I'm gone. I don't want to become Marie._

Booth was deeply engrossed in yet another entry of Brennan's journal, his eyes were focused on the words on the page, and didn't notice when someone walked in. Over his shoulder, fell a familiar shadow, not just any familiar shadow. HERS!

Booth's face drained of color as he looked up at her.

Brennan's brows were lowered considerably, as she read what Booth had on the computer screen. "Where did you…" she couldn't manage to finish her sentence, her horror-stricken face trying to analyze what had happened.

"Bones, I-" he stood up quickly, pushing the chair away from the desk, hitting the little x box on the top left hand corner of the page. The entry disappeared. "I didn't hear you come in."

Brennan's face was as pale as his.

"How did you… how did you find this?" she choked.

Booth frowned. "I don't know. It just ended up in my inbox messages, and… I don't know, Bones. I seem to get them all the time."

"Why are you reading them?" she demanded. "They weren't written for you!"

Booth blushed. "I don't- I couldn't help it. I'm sorry. There is no excuse for what I did, I am sorry, but I just… I wanted to know how you were feeling; you're such a closed book, Bones. This was like an insight to what you were thinking, and I… I'm sorry. There's no excuse," he hung his head in shame suddenly forgetting that his church priest had also not dis-encouraged him from looking through her personal thoughts.

Brennan took a moment to think about this rationally before reacting. Despite they were her personal thoughts, and all the things she had written about Booth, she blushed realizing what he would have read. What did he think of her now? She couldn't help but wonder.

Puck's voice echoed in her head. "What if something changes, what if moves on, and you didn't say anything, what if he marries some blonde bimbo, from another country?" he had a point, she realized, maybe Booth reading her thoughts was exactly the right thing. Maybe it was easier for her to explain things in her writing than face to face.

But she did not share this thought with her partner, instead, she turned and walked out of the room. Her body functioned on auto pilot caring her home. _Where do we go from here?_ Brennan couldn't help, but wonder as she tried to settle down for the night. Booth now knew her in a way no one else ever had before. Was she hurt? _Yes._ Did she feel violated? _ Yes and no._ It was strange on some level having Booth know her thoughts and realizing that instead of using them against her like many people would have done, he'd instead done small things to comfort her and show her affection.

Her mind kicked into overdrive again as she pondered everything that had happened recently. _How long has Booth been reading my journal? Which entries has he read? What do I want to do about it? Where do we go from here?

* * *

_ _ Just 5 more chapters to go and this story is finished. Believe it or not when we started writing this story neither of us expected to finish it and we had no idea that it would ever become as popular as it has. Thank you all so much for welcoming us and our story._


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

The phone call from Parker this morning had tipped things back into perspective. That whole three day theory seemed to be coming into play again. The first time that it happened had been the case of the surgeon for three days she saw things as they could have been and then after three days the world came back into focus. This case seemed to have turned her world upside down again only it had lasted a lot longer than three days … it had been more like three months, but the haze was starting to clear and the world was finally coming into focus again. The conversation with Puck at the diner earlier this week had helped and Parker's call this morning had finally blown away the last of the fog.

"_Dr. Bones?"_

"_Parker? Is something wrong?" Brennan answered concerned about an early morning phone call from Parker Booth._

"_What happened? Dad's upset, he said he did something really bad and now he deserves to be punished and you're upset with him. What did Dad do?"_

"_Parker, I don't know what to tell you." Brennan really didn't know what to tell him. Part of her was upset about the whole experience of discovering that Booth had read her journals and then discovering how long he'd been reading it. The entries he'd read were extremely private, but it was oddly relieving not to have to talk to Booth about those things. What truly bothered her, the most was the shame she felt discovering that Booth had read the entry about her cutting … even though it wasn't rational and it had happened before she ever knew Seeley Booth, she was ashamed that Booth now knew that she was a cutter. She was almost afraid to consider what he must think of her now that he knew._

"_Just be you. You've always told me the truth before … even when it was stuff that Dad said he'd tell me after I had armpit hair. Did Dad hurt you?"_

"_No, Parker your Dad didn't hurt me. He read something I wrote, but I didn't know he was reading it."_

"_How did he get it?"_

"_I accidentally sent it to him." She said softly._

"_So, Dad thought he had your permission to read it?" Parker questioned trying to gather all the facts just like Dr. Bones and Grandpa Max had taught him._

"_Yes … I suppose he did, but what I wrote was very private."_

"_Dad's your best friend right?"_

"_Yes"_

"_You trust him right?"_

"_Of course!" Brennan answered without a second thought; there was never any doubt that she trusted Booth with everything._

"_Did he do something mean with what you wrote? Did he tease you or make fun of you?"_

"_No, of course not."_

"_Did he do something nice for you?" Parker asked with a smile suspecting he knew the truth before she answered, but he'd been taught to investigate by the best._

"_Actually he did something nice for me." Brennan said remembering fondly the sweet things Booth had done for her during this case, the olives and flower apology, holding her during the storm, dinners, the talks, even giving her space when she needed it. _

"_Did he tell anyone your secrets?"_

"_No, he never said a word Parker." Brennan whispered._

"_So, Dad did a bad thing. At some point he probably figured out that what he was doing was wrong. But, instead of telling someone else or teasing you, he did nice things for you and tried to make you feel better. I get that you're really mad, but is what Dad did so bad that you have to stop being Dad's friend? Do you hate him?" Parker crossed his fingers hoping for the answer he wanted and not the answer he feared._

"_Parker, I could NEVER hate your father! I was upset, but I never stopped wanting your father to be my friend. Your dad is my best friend!"_

"_He thinks you do and he thinks he deserves it."_

Parker's words had rung in her ears all day _"He thinks you do and he thinks he deserves it."_ Booth thought she hated him. _I could NEVER hate you Booth!_ Parker's early morning phone call had been the push she needed to finally contact Booth … at least indirectly.

Brennan sat down in the familiar desk chair, and pulled up the file that was now tainted, since Booth had been reading every thought she had ever expressed in this document. Her finger tapped away at the keyboard, not allowing her mind to dwell too much, but just express her current thoughts.

_Journal, _

_I find it daunting that you read my journal. I don't know how to react to that, Booth. I don't do well with emotions, as you already know. But the idea that you have stolen my thoughts without my permission makes me feel exposed. I just haven't worked out whether that's a good thing or not. _

_Knowing I don't have to say all the things that scare me to your face, is a good thing… isn't it? If you read this now, I can be honest and I don't have to look into your face with the fear of rejection. Am I brave enough to do that?_

_I suddenly realize why you took me on that carriage ride, and I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted, because I was naïve enough not to see that you were reading my thoughts, one way or another. _

_Puck made a comment to me the other day, insisting that I think about a life with you, something that's not platonic or work related. He sees his own mistakes in me, and is doing his best to convince me not to lose my chance the way he lost his. Marie and I are so alike, Booth, and whether you think so or not, Puck is much like you. _

_Parker also expressed his feelings to me about you. Sometimes I think everyone seems to be in this relationship, but you and me. I don't know what to do… I'm scared._

_I look back at the evidence. You give me all these things… Jasper… brainy smurf… the carriage ride … the olives … bringing me Thai in the middle of the night … making sure I eat …guy hugs (is there really such a thing as a guy hug?), and I have to assume that this is your way of trying to reach me. I appreciate that. I have enjoyed everything you have done and continue to do for me and give me, Booth. _

_Right now, I just don't know how to approach the subject. I need time, Booth, and I know I ask this of you continuously. But time is all I understand… _

Her fingers lingered on the key, before she forced herself to save the document, believing there was a glitch in the computer that was causing her documents to be sent to Booth, the moment they were saved.

It was done. Now the next move, lay in Booth's hands.


	52. Chapter 52

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

It had been five days since Brennan caught Booth reading her journal, three days since the phone call from Parker that prompted the journal entry and time seemed to be passing in slow motion. Brennan under normal circumstances would've never considered the passage of time to be mutable concept, but for the last five days her perception of time seemed to be moving slower than water cutting a gorge in the surface of the earth. Booth hadn't responded and the world seemed to be losing its colour, flavor, texture … the world had become bland and grey. Brennan didn't know what to do, under normal circumstances she would talk to Booth, but these weren't normal circumstances. Frustrated and confused Brennan drummed her fingers relentlessly on her desk, completely missing Angela entering her office and shutting the door.

"Alright sweetie, this has gone on long enough. What's going on with you and Agent Sexy?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Bren you are the world's worst liar. Really Parker is better than you."

"I don't know." Brennan confessed softly without considering what she'd said.

"Bren? What happened?" Angela pushed softly sitting in front of her best friend's desk.

"I don't know."

"Okay … start at the beginning. Why are you mad at Booth?"

"I'm not mad at him … embarrassed maybe" her words once again tumbling out of their own volition, revealing her inner most thoughts.

"Bren why are you embarrassed?" Angela cautiously probed.

It was as though Brennan had lost control of her body and emotions all in the same instance. The story began pouring out of her, her body remained still and stiff, but her eyes became deep pools of emotion whirling and spinning out of control. Angela couldn't remember a time she's ever seen her normally stoic friend so emotionally distraught, not even when they'd been told Booth was dead.

"Somehow I accidently sent Booth a link to my private journal. I didn't realize I'd done it and he's been reading it. I caught him reading it after I met with Puck last week and we haven't spoken since. Parker said Booth thinks I hate him … I wrote a journal that told Booth how I felt, but he hasn't done anything … maybe HE hates me … I don't understand" Brennan's voice trailed off, as if she'd run out of steam or breathe after releasing everything she'd been holding in one breathe.

Angela was shell shocked to say the least. Brennan kept a journal … well that was news to her. Somehow it had been sent to Booth and he'd read it … wow. Seeing that Brennan was on the verge of talking herself into something stupid, like running away to some dig on the other side of the world again Angela tried to reason with her using the only absolute in Brennan's world … LOGIC.

"Alright sweetie, let's take a look at the facts here. You sent Booth a link to your journal." Brennan nodded "and he read it?" she nodded again. "Is it possible he thought you meant for him to read it?"

"Parker asked the same thing. Yes, it's possible."

"Parker's a smart boy. If you'd sent me the link I would've assumed you meant for me to read it too. So his assumption that you intended for his to read it was reasonable. Right?" Seeing her friend's overactive mind kick into high gear, Angela jumped into high logic gear. "I'm just trying to gather all the facts sweetie to help you analysis the evidence and drag rational conclusions."

"Yes, I can see the logic in that line of thought."

"Alright, so in the beginning it was logical to assume he thought he had your permission to read the journal. Later when you caught him reading it, how did you react?"

"I was upset. I … I left."

"Have you spoken to him since?"

"I wrote the journal for him to read."

"No sweetie, I mean actually spoken to him. Had a conversation … dinner … anything that you initiated?"

Brennan thought for a moment and realized that they hadn't even been in the same building that she was aware of since she caught him reading her journal. "No."

"So when you caught him reading the journal, he realized that you had seen his reading of your journal as an invasion of privacy." Brennan nodded her head curious to see where Angela was going with this line of inquiry. "So, Booth being a man of honor would keep invading your privacy, right? I mean that's the kind of guy he is."

"No. He would NEVER deliberately invade my privacy." The look of shock that passed over Brennan's face and her immediate defense of Booth spoke volumes.

"So, sweetie why hasn't Booth responded to your journal entry?" Angela asked trying hard not to smirk, sometimes you had to out logic Brennan to get her to see reality.

"He hasn't read it, because reading my journal now would be a violation of my privacy and hurt me." She whispered.

"So what do you need to do?"

"Talk to him."

"So go get your man, sweetie. Talk to him" Angela said hugging her friend before shifting toward the door, with a slight waddle that had become part of her gate in the last few days.

Brennan gathered her things and left to find Booth. Hoddgins wrapped his arms around his wife and whispered in her ear "what's all that about?" directing his gaze toward the retreating anthropologist.

"That my dear husband is someone finally catching up with her own reality."


	53. Chapter 53

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

Booth had been trying to figure out how to react to what had happened with Bones and her catching him reading her journal. He'd talked with Father Thomas, actually he'd spent hours with the man of God pouring his soul out and begging for some kind of guidance. One of those conversations as well as a good helping of guilt had led Father Thomas to the phone call he was about to make. May God forgive him if he was wrong.

Brennan's phone rang, but the number was completely foreign, although the area code indicated that it came from within the city.

"Hello, this is Dr. Brennan."

"Hello, are you the lovely lady Seeley Booth insists upon calling Bones?" asked an older male voice, although the voice seemed familiar to her.

"Yes. Who is this? Is Booth alright? Did something happen?"

"Oh my dear child forgive me"

"I am not your child."

"It's an expression Dr. Brennan. I did not mean to offend you or imply anything by it; it's just an expression common in my vocation."

"Which is?" Brennan asked becoming more concerned by the second, that this strange male caller may have done something to Booth.

"Dr. Brennan, my name is Father Thomas. I am Seeley's priest. I believe you've attended services with him at my parish before."

"Father Thomas? How did you get my number? Is Booth alright?"

"Booth is upset, but I am bound by the seal of confession from saying more than that. I got you number from young Parker, who seems to admire and love you dearly." Father Thomas said with a hint of amusement, the little boy in question was currently sitting across from him with a cat eat the canary grin on his face.

"Parker is an amazing child! I feel very strongly for him as well. Is everything alright? Is Parker alright?"

"Perhaps, my dear it would be best if you came to my office, so that we could speak in person. Is it possible for you to come now? It really is important." Parker Booth gave him double thumbs up, encouraging the elderly priest.

"Of course Father Thomas if it's important for Booth or Parker I will be there as soon as possible. Where is your office?"

Father Thomas tried hard not to laugh at the innocence of her question, but the look young Parker shot him made it quite clear that the question deserved an answer and treating the young woman who'd posed it with anything other than the utmost respect would be a greater sin than murder.

"My office is in the back of the building that Booth brought you for Mass. I will meet you in the chapel and walk you back to my office, if that's alright."

"That's acceptable. I'll be there shortly." Brennan said before disconnecting.

* * *

_**Tit for tat.**_


	54. Chapter 54

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

* * *

_

Two hours later Brennan found herself in a familiar Booth at Sid's unsure of how she got there. Portions of the conversation with Father Thomas and Parker replayed in a loop, blocking out everything around her.

Sid took one look at the bone lady Booth brought in all the time and sensed that tonight would be a turning point. Something about her behavior screamed for extreme amounts of chocolate to sooth her soul, with a soft smile Sid slid a truly decadent molten chocolate cake, swirled with three different varieties of heated chocolate confections, topped with a raspberry/strawberry/pomegranate sorbet. This particular delicacy was a dish that had haunted Sid since he'd seen this strange lady's sad emotion ridden face flash briefly with pain before she quickly covered it under her normally controlled façade after her return from the _Luku_ Islands, or where ever it was that she'd run off to. This moment had been a long time in the making and now if he could prep her just right and perhaps if she ingested enough of the aphrodisiac riddled confection in front of her, if he waited till just the right moment to call the dummy, just maybe the genius and FB stupid would finally face reality. Sid kept an eye on the bone lady who was so lost in her own thoughts she didn't even seem aware of the fact that she had been served or that she was eating. Perhaps the Powers That Be had finally decided to smile on the partners.

"_Bones" Parker had called her rushing over and wrapping his arms around her._

"_Parker what are you doing here? Is everything alright?" Brennan hugged him before drawing back slightly and quickly checking for any injuries or signs of trouble, Parker meant the world to her and she would protect him with her life. She didn't know Father Thomas, sure she'd heard Booth talk about him, but after the whole fiasco with Father Michaels, she wasn't willing to take any chances and maneuvered her position so that she was between this stranger and Parker._

"_Dr. Bones I'm fine, but Dad's been getting some bad advice"_

"_What?"_

"_Father Thomas." Parker prompted causing Brennan to turn around and face the man in question._

"_Yes, well … I can't speak of specifics because I'm bound by the seal of confession, but if someone had come to me for advice and I had encouraged them to say read something, then it would be my fault if that advice angered another." The blushing priest said softly, glancing at the floor every so often._

"_I don't understand"_

"_I'll explain it to you Bones. See a while ago I found a note a friend had written and I came to Father Thomas for advice on what to do. When I thought about what happened with you and Dad, I started to wonder if maybe Dad had gotten the same advice." Brennan's face was creased in confusion as she tried to follow the young man's thoughts. "Father Thomas told me to read the letter and use what I learned to help my friend." Parker watched Dr. Bones' face as the words sunk in and knew the minute she got it. Her eyes widened and she whipped around to face the priest so quickly, he wondered if she was going to slap Father Thomas, although at this point he wouldn't have blamed her._

"_I'm sorry." Father Thomas whispered softly._

_It took a moment for Brennan to respond, and she found that when she allowed the words to sink in, she didn't want to slap the priest, anymore than she wanted Marie's mother free to roam in society again. Maybe… just maybe, Father Thomas had bettered the situation, just this once, not minding his own business had been better for everyone._

"_It's alright," she told the priest. "I think I owe you my gratitude. You must care about Booth an awful lot to go through all this for him."_

"_I care about all my children," he replied. _

Brennan's attention was on the window, as she watched the pedestrians go by, her mind on her partner and all that they had been through together. Was this how it was supposed to be? Was this what Booth meant when he said amazing things can happen?

Brennan felt like she'd had a revelation.

She was an anthologist, she dealt in facts… science facts, and yet she could never explain the pull she felt towards Seeley Booth. That feeling didn't deal in science, at least not in a way that was satisfying to the logical part of her brain, but it was all… all she knew was that it was real.

Across the restaurant, Sid was watching the Bones lady. She had been there for hours, the concentration span this woman had, floored him. It was incredible. He had never seen someone so lost-looking before. He had to do something about it.

He went into the backroom, and flipped through his address book, his finger scanning down the page until he hit the right name. He dialed the number and held the phone to his ear.

"Agent Seeley Booth!" came the response.

"Seeley," he replied. "It's Sid. Listen, your Bone lady has been sitting in your booth for 4 hours now, staring out the window, looking quite… well, you'll see when you get over here. This is your mess. You clean it."

Sid hung up before Booth could respond, and Sid smiled to himself. _That ought to do it!_

**B & B & B & B**

Booth waltzed into Sid's, his eyes directed straight towards his usual booth under the window, and just as Sid predicted, there she was, staring out at the people rushing by. She had this lost look on her face, like she didn't realize she was even in a public place.

He approached her with caution, and it wasn't until he sat down beside her and gently touched her shoulder that she acknowledged his presence.

"Booth, what are you doing here?" her smile was weak.

"Hey, Bones… Sid told me you've been here a while."

She glanced at her watch, and was genuinely surprised at how much time had passed. "I didn't realize. I was very distracted."

"Are you alright?" he asked gently.

Brennan took her time answering the question, her gaze moved back to the passing pedestrians.

"I don't want to turn out like Marie…" she whispered.

"What do you mean?" Booth asked gently as he laced his fingers through hers.

She forced her eyes to meet his. "Marie and Puck… regret… I just- I don't want that to me, Booth. All my life I find that withdraw from anything emotionally intense, and in doing so I miss opportunities that could somehow better me as a person, I could mature, and grow. I am not naïve enough to believe that I am without flaws. I know that I have areas where there is room for improvement. "

His heart rate increased instantly. "And you think emotional intensity is one of them?"

"No," she replied. "Regret is one of them. This entire case has changed my views on a lot of matters, Booth. It has touched me in a way that no other case has. I can't help thinking how alike Marie and I were," she sighed deeply. "I watched Puck lose Marie and he told me something, Booth, when it happened, he told me that nothing was worse than feeling the regret of saying nothing…" she told him honestly.

"And what aren't you saying, Bones?" he held his breath in anticipation of her answer.

She only stared at him.

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_One more chapter to go after this and then our journey is complete. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing, your words have meant a great deal to us. It's refreshing for a well published author on this site to receive such wonderful words of encouragement and as a first time author publishing on this site it makes me want to write more. Never doubt that your words as readers effect us, they have the power to elevate, inspire, motivate, and some times crush so use them wisely and reap the benefits they bring._


	55. Chapter 55

**A/N: **_Well, this story all came about because of a lovely author here who goes by the penname __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, if you aren't familiar with her work please check it out! __**stevieLUVSAlex **__and I tossed around some ideas and decided to co-author a story and this is our brain child. Thanks so much __**stevieLUVSAlex**__, this wouldn't have been possible without you!_

**A/N 2: **_Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! They mean the world to us!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Still unable to claim Bones as my own.

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_

"Not here"

"Where?" Booth asked with bated breath half expecting Brennan to run again, but praying to every saint he could think of that she wouldn't.

Brennan just stood and left some cash on the table, unsure how long she'd been there or what she'd consumed she left two twenties, knowing they would cover the costs. Booth followed his partner unsure of where things were going, but grateful that the woman he's feared hated him for invading her privacy and violating her trust was at least speaking to him.

A short time later they found themselves seated at the Mall in silence, neither sure where to begin. Booth's hand reflexively caressed the carving in his pocket. Brennan stared straight ahead, mesmerized by the shadows dancing in the deepening darkness.

"Bones, I'm sorry for reading your journal …"

"I'm not" she barely whispered.

"What?" Booth asked shocked by her words.

"I was upset in the beginning … more embarrassed than anything else, but I wanted to tell you most of what I wrote in it. I just didn't have the courage to do it. Angela is always saying everything happens for a reason, maybe that's why you got sent the link to my journal." Brennan's voice was soft and filled with emotion.

Booth knelt in front of her, cradling her face in his hands and stared into her eyes willing her to see the truth in his words. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about. What you wrote just reminded me of what I've always known. That you, my Bones … you Temperance Joy Brennan are an amazing, loving, kind, powerful, beautiful, woman who would and had done everything within her power to help and protect those around you. You might not believe you have an open heart, but I know the truth your heart is deeper and more open than anyone else I know. I know you might not want to hear this or that you might not be ready yet, but I'm in love with you, I love you with all of my heart."

Silent tears glistened in the moonlight down both their cheeks as they stare into each other's eyes. Taking a deep breath Booth decided to man up and go for broke. He pulled a wooden pendant from his pocket, clutching it in one hand, he grasped her and with his other.

"Please don't run. I'm not trying to scare you." His eyes pleading with her, just as much as his soft spoken words did. "Back when we first started working together, during the Bear in the Woods case, with the cannibal doctor I picked up a couple of pieces of cedar from the woods. I didn't know it at the time, but I recently discovered that many Native America tribes believe that cedar heals the spirit. It seemed fitting that I carve this out of cedar, because you've helped heal my heart and I hope that I've helped heal yours." Booth whispered his confession opening his hand to reveal the hand carved cedar pendant on a leather cord. "The stone is blue Lapis Lazuli. While I was in Afghanistan I saw this heart and it reminded me so much of your eyes that I bought it and carried it everywhere with me. I know this will sound silly, but just holding it made me feel closer to you. Turns out that it is the stone of truth, friendship and fidelity, it's supposed to cleanse the soul and bring about inner truth and peace. The only time I feel at peace is when I'm with you. This design is called a Claddagh; it's an Irish symbol that fits everything you are to me. The hands symbolize friendship, the crown means loyalty and the heart is for love. Bones you mean everything to me and I would do anything for you. You are my best friend, you know me better than anyone else ever has or will. I love you now and always, if you aren't ready I'll wait, because you are worth waiting for." Booth held his breath begging her with his eyes to be open to them now.

The silence seemed to hang in the air and freeze time between them. Her heart made the decision for her. Brennan placed her hand over Booth's hand the held the Claddagh. It was only by the grace of the angels that Booth heard her almost silent words. "I'm ready." But as soon as he did the smile that broke out across his face outshone any diamond ever found. Their lips met and the world around them evaporated.

There had been so many missteps and wrong turns along the way. They'd hurt each other, supported each other, loved one another, and even blackmailed each other, but through it all they'd had each other. They weren't perfect, but the time was finally right and together they would heal open wounds.

THE END

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_Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing, your words have meant a great deal to us. It's refreshing for a well published author on this site to receive such wonderful words of encouragement and as a first time author publishing on this site it makes me want to write more. Never doubt that your words as readers effect us, they have the power to elevate, inspire, motivate, and some times crush so use them wisely and reap the benefits they bring._

_To a friend and the editor/beta for one of my new stories Tit for Tat the same goes for another friend, you both know who you are!  
_


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